#who says sci fi and fantasy cannot mix

[nellasbookplanet]

Book recs: sapphic romance for people who like Hannibal and Interwiev with the Vampire, aka fucked up and toxic

Enemies to lovers, lovers to enemies, fucked up power imbalances, manipulations, plain bad people doing bad things - if you like your sapphics a little bit dark check out these books!

Some of these end happily, some tragically, some are more will-they-won’t-they than full on romance, some focus on healing while others focus on Getting Worse, but they’re all very juicy.

For details on the books, continue under the readmore

Feel free to recommend more books in tags and comments!

Othe book rec posts:

Really cool fantasy worldbuilding

Really cool sci-fi worldbuilding

Mermaid books

Vampire books

The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie

Young Adult. tumblr classic back in the day! A trainer of sea monsters genetically engineered to protect ships from pirates is kidnapped by, you guessed it, pirates, one of whom happens to be very hot.

Escaping Exodus by Nicky Drayden

While my feelings on Escaping Exodus were mixed, it cannot be denied that the dynamic between the two leads and the way they go from childhood best friends to enemies on different sides of a class and power struggle is very delicious. It also features some really cool worldbuilding of living, alien generation spaceships and the human culture that has developed inside them.

The Stars are Legion by Kameron Hurley

This book fucked me up when I read it. It’s weird, it's gross, there’s So Much Viscera, there are literally no men, it has living spaceships and biotech but in the most horrific way imaginable. Had I to categorize it I would call it grimdark military sf. It’s an experience but not necessarily a pleasant one.

The Lumionus Dead by Caitlin Starling

Possibly one of the most unsettling books I've ever read, and definitely the most claustrophobic. Gyre, a caver on an alien planet, ventures into the dark and dangerous underground, guided only by a woman who has no compunctions on using and manipulating Gyre as she sees fit to obtain her secretive goals down in the caves.

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

On the less toxic and fucked up side of the spectrum, but still pretty juicy. A princess held captive by her own brother, who wants to see her dead, tries to trick a servant into helping her escape, but with undeniable attraction growing between them and the servant having her own goals things quickly get complicated.

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Listen, if you're on tumblr I probably don't need to explain this book to you. Trust me when I say it's exactly as good as people claim. There are indeed lesbian necromancers in space (quite a few of them, actually), but also incredible worldbuilding that keeps growing with every new installment, interesting political commentary, morally complex characters with fucked up dynamics, and well-thought out plot that keeps you guessing until the last.

They Never Learn by Layne Fargo

Listen, sometimes you just want to read about a vicious bisexual lady professor who murders predatory men and falls for the woman trying to solve her crimes and that's okay.

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

The source of not one but two movie adaptations, Fingersmith is a story of trickery and manipulation as a young conwoman works to gain the trust of a heiress. I don’t want to say much more because the twists are some of the best parts, but trust that it doesn’t take long for things to get real complicated between them.

The Unbroken by C.L. Clark

Tourraine, who was stolen as a child and trained as a soldier for the empire that conquered her home, is recruited by Luka, the future leader of the conquering country to route out a rebellion. A game of twisted loyalties and attraction is soon to develop.

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

Again, if you're on tumblr (or twitter, apparently) you have in all likelihood already heard of this one, too. Just like GtN it lives up to all expectations. It features two women on different sides of the titular time war, who starts leaving letters for the other to find as they chase each other through time. A quick read, slightly surreal, and absolutely beautiful, I cannot recommend this enough. Pretty mild on the fucked-up-scale.

House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson

In a world where the rich drink blood to preserve their health, Marion applies to a position as bloodmaid in a notorious noble house far from home. Suddenly showered with luxuries and debauchery, Marion soon gains the interest and favor of Lisavet, countess of the house. A fresh take on the idea of vampires.

Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon

A young pregnant woman flees a cult that left her body strange and changing in terrifying ways. Hidden from the world, she does her best to raise her children while trying to find out the truth of the cult and being pursued by a hunter in a dangerous game of cat and mouse. In no way a romance, but certainly has some fucked up sapphic shit going on.

The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson

After her home was conquered by another land, Baru is determined to join their forces and climb the ladder until she’s in a position to free her people. To prove her loyalty, she’s sent to bring order and quell rebellion in another conqured region. Baru is set to succeed, but also has to struggle with her feelings for Tain Hu, a duchess of this region.

Ice Massacre (Mermaids of Eriana Kwai trilogy) by Tiana Warner

Young Adult. A small island is forced to defend itself against intruding forces of vicious mermaids. As all men trying to fight them get lured in by their siren song, a ship filled with warrior girls is sent instead. However one of them, Meela, had a complicated past with one of the mermaids, which is brought back to life when the two reunite on the battlefield. This one is also available as an ongoing webcomic!

Borderline (The Arcadia Project trilogy) by Mishell Baker

Urban fantasy mystery. Very much of the will-they-won’t-they variety, with a bisexual lead who has a male love interest as well as a female without falling into the typical pitfalls of a love triangle. Plays around with various fucked up power dynamics. A year after a failed suicide attempt that cost her both her legs, Millie is recruited by a secretive organisation that works to control traffic to and from Arcadia, the land of faries. Bear in mind that while the sapphic-ness is present throughout, it has a much smaller presence in book 1 than books 2 and 3.

Bonus AKA I haven't read these yet but they seem really cool

The Hunger by Whitley Strieber

Ancient vampire is on the hunt for a new partner, none of which tend to last long.

Codename Villanelle by Luke Jennings

Precursor of the famous Killing Eve tv series. While I don’t know much of the books, I did enough research to know this: their endings differ.

#next list will be either vampires or mermaids #(probably mermaids bc i have a couple of vampire books i hope to finish first) #book recs #nella talks books #wlw books #I've been playing around with the layout of these posts and you know what i like this #might edit the first to rec posts to the same layout to make everything nice and cohesive

[iambibliophilic]

My all-time favourite books &recs!

1. The murderbot series by Martha Wells. I truly cannot fault these books. Sci-fi with an undercurrent of the ethical ramifications of a society with human/robot constructs. First few are very short, then book 5 is a full novel. Diverse cast of characters, casual non-binary rep (esp later on), polyamory, asexual rep. 10/10 humour. What more could you want?

2. The Hidden Legacy series by Ilona Andrews. Spicy urban fantasy. First trilogy revolves around human lie detector Nevada, second trilogy from the point of view of her sister. My favourite books are 4 and 5 (especially 4!). Such a cosy cast of characters I love them so much. Prepare for some problematic stuff in book one though omg I did not remember that the love interest did THAT how did they recover from that I’ll never know. Also stop whitewashing these characters they’re mixed race and it’s mentions that explicitly (although one criticism I have of Ilona andrews is that even their POC read like white characters. More depth needed)

3. The innkeeper chronicles by Ilona Andrews. I think it’s described as paranormal romance? But I would describe it as urban SCI-FI. I would say consider the first book a prequel of sorts and judge the series more starting from the second book. Again they’re pretty short. Defo get better as the series progresses since the world-building takes a while. Maud’s book was so unexpectedly phenomenal I highly highly recommend. Technically this series is most enjoyable after reading the author’s On The Edge series but I won’t put you through that. (I love those books but objectively only book 4 is perfect so decide for yourself if you want to give that series a go once you’ve seen Ilona Andrews’ other work. It’s their oldest series so the fact that it’s not their best is actually a really good sign - you can really see their growth and how they’ve improved as authors with every publication.) Don’t get excited they’re not non-binary: Ilona Andrews is the name of a husband and wife who write books together. They also happen to be my favourite authors so get ready for me to recommend all of their books to you

4. Red, white and royal blue by Case McQuiston. The perfectest perfect book out there. I’m just putting it on here to show you I have good taste

5. The Second Mango series. I’ve only read the first two but now that I’m getting better (I’ve been sick for the past couple of years) I’m rereading them and looking forward to reading the rest of them. Very short little books only available on Amazon unfortunately and no audiobooks rip. The most heartwarming story ever - lesbians, dragons, Judaism, magic, what more could you want? Fantasy series with quite simple storytelling. Lots of brown people yay. Kind of accidentally forgets trans people exist in the first book

6 There is a light by Ban Gilmartin. Love it. So full of humour it’s impeccable. Brown rep, gay and bisexual rep. Poetry, trans rep. Non binary rep. I’m just listing types of rep but in my head I’m telling you all the ways in which this book rocks. One thing is rep and another is doing it well. This book does it well and then some. Highly recommend. Tw: suicide

7. All for the game series. Do I really need to recommend this to tumblr though this is literally the only place that knows about these books. Gay, crimes, sports but don’t let that dissuade you the sports is actually a highlight of the series. I love my child Neil Josten and I love these books an unholy amount. If you do read them half of the enjoyment is looking through the content on tumblr so definitely do that after. Ooo also check out the art of one ‘polarts_’ on insta

8. The name of the wind books by Patrick rothfuss. The most misogynistic series I know but the world building and storytelling is impeccable. I would say these books are the polar opposite to the second mango: no gays, too many white people and it takes itself so seriously. The writing style is a bit much sometimes but I seriously love the story so, so much. It’s rich and well constructed and funny and yes. Also sad omg you don’t even know

9. The stormlight archives by Brandon Sanderson. Anything by him to be honest and like Ilona Andrews you can really see his growth as an author as time passes - in his case it’s to do with misogyny bc his earlier series (mistborn) reeks of Patrick rothfuss-level sexism but unlike Patrick he does something about it. Stormlight is way less sexist, almost not sexist actually, and his sci-fi series Skyward is even better in terms of that. Stormlight is a CHONK though so buckle in for a good time and a long time. High fantasy, lots of brown people and actually unexpected non binary rep? But don’t get your hopes up cos it’s not a human being. And it’s not till like book 4. Better than nothing though! Not gay enough

10. Kate daniels series by Ilona Andrews. Listen, I love this series wholeheartedly. Favourite author, remember? But the first two books and the first book in particular is not very good. The authors themselves say that. I recommend starting at book two and waiting till book three to decide whether to read the series. It’s urban fantasy with the best chemistry between characters I’ve ever seen. (Can start with book one if you want but be warned there’s gratuitous sexual assault descriptions/ sexual harassment. It was the urban fantasy scene at the time but yeah not the mos pleasant reread. Can be tricky to get your head around the world building but it’s so worth it I promise!) Not enough queer rep but they tried a little. Some brown rep but not really enough. (Again, main character is brown but doesn’t read like it. I understand why given how she’s raised but then there’s a few kinda racist/ fetishising things said about her appearance so -_-). Excellent epic storytelling, excellent humour and phenomenal characters. Can skip book 5.5 if you want but don’t skip Hugh’s book - read it between Kate Daniels books 9 and 10. It’s excellent you won’t regret it. And don’t forget to read Aurelia Ryder when you’re done with Kate Daniels.

11. SAGA graphic novels. Graphic is correct cos there’s explicit everything in these books. Amazing storytelling, diverse set of characters. Sci-fi, feminist. Yes yes very recommend

BONUS: 12. If you’ve already read six of crows and crooked kingdom then king of scars and rule of wolves by Leigh Bardugo. Best enjoyed if you’ve read the grisha trilogy too but once again I won’t put you through that if you haven’t. These books defo smack of YA especially in the plot at certain points but OH MY GOD they are so epic and fast-paced and heists and shenanigans. 10/10 so enjoyed them. Warning I repeat: only read AFTER the six of crows duology, especially Crooked Kingdom for spoiler reasons. Once you have read king of scars and rule of wolves I recommend checking out jaded.draws’s art on instagram and also polarts_ again. Both make such beautiful art but it is slightly spoilerly if you haven’t read all the books. Also can we talk about the Shadow and Bone tv show because they did such a good job with it somehow?? It is it’s own work of art and I highly enjoy it

I recognise that my favourite books are overwhelmingly (exclusively?) written by white people and there’s varying amounts of diversity in them. I’m actively working to remedy that and I plan to post an updated list once I’ve read a little more broadly. These are just the books that are closest to my heart and I’ve wanted to share them on here for a while (read: a decade 💀). I hope you find a new book to love on this list but if not you can make fun of me for the ones I do! Also the format of this post is unforgivable but it’s my first one and I’m chronically ill so I’m not gonna put any more effort in that I already have. Xoxo have a good day!

#ilona andrews #hidden legacy #murderbot #the murderbot diaries #Martha wells #the innkeeper chronicles #dina demille #on the edge #the name of the wind #Patrick rothfuss #the stormlight archives #Brandon Sanderson #the second mango #mangoverse #there is a light #ban gilmartin #red white and royal blue #casey mcquiston #kate daniels #bdh #Nevada baylor #Catalina baylor #saga #leigh bardugo #six of crows #crooked kingdom #king of scars #rule of wolves #all for the game #nora sakavic

[bug-the-chicken-nug]

feeling conflicted on RWBY Dust. SPECIFICALLY Hard Light and Gravity Dust because at least like. the other kinds are folllowing a sort of theme of classical elements and nature stuff in a more mystical fantasy kinda way and meanwhile hard light and gravity feel like an abrupt swerve into just existing to justify floating islands and stock sci-fi stuff like artificial gravity/anti-gravity/force-fields. like i feel like this isn't BAD, just that the issue is that Dust should pick a lane, basically. Thematic consistency is always a plus. Either make it wholly framed as a pseudo-scientific power source backed up with sci-fi rules and with semi-believable explanations of how it works in a sci-fi technobabble framework of exotic particles and chemical reactions. Or stick more faithfully to the more whimsical and wondrous fantasy route, with a more classical feel and strong tie-ins to "nature" and "natural energy", and do a better job of explaining Dust's important roles in the natural world and its balance and mysticism, rather than just what it does when people make use of it. Or if you do want to have it both ways, take it further: Make Lake Matsu float because of something else (electromagnetic fuckery with Electric Dust, or something to do with Wind Dust, for instance,) and then make something like Gravity a recently synthesized, man-made Dust with properties that cannot be otherwise obtained by simply mixing Dust. And then you could get into how people react to this: Is it mostly celebratory? Are there detractors who say this stuff is evil and unnatural and hurting the planet? Are there those who view it in-between, as an unfortunate necessity? Are there little old ladies who think standing too close to a modern-day hard-light force field might give you Fantasy Cancer or something?

#rwde #rwby

[enne-uni]

This or That

Thanks for the tag @sender-paulson!

I choose you, @theroseempress, @charlie-aka-tired, @pure-solomon

Historic or Futuristic?

Hard one to start with. I love dystopia, but reading historic stuff will always just be so fascinating to me, I think I have to go with that. It inspires me a lot, even if I'm horrible at it.

The opening or closing chapter?

Love both, but I like how the opening can just set the scene. I can introduce you to a character and kill them immediately just so you get the vibe. The pressure is on to get you hooked, but I don't mind, I adore prologues. Endings also make me sad since they remind me that the story is over :(

Light & fluffy or dark & gritty?

I'm an edgy bastard who has zero excuses, but I feel like mixing them together would be the best. I dunno. (Tooth-rotting fluff is also my least favourite tag on Ao3, so that says a lot.)

Animal companion or found family?

I'm not an animal person, which actually includes humans, but yeah. Found family just makes me happy. I love a good platonic relationship.

Horror or romance?

I love horror, but I write romance more often.

Hard magic system or soft magic system?

I don't entirely understand, but I like some 'rules' to magic. Mostly I like them to be like the laws of physics, something that cannot be broken because that's just how it is. But I also love to stretch and pull at everything. A character breaking their limit is lovely.

Standalone or series?

Haaard. I like one sequel, but no more. And I hate reading fics that are finished and be delighted that there's a sequel, only to realise it hasn't been updated in ten years. I hate you if you do that, and death is not an excuse.

One project at a time or juggling multiples?

I have many in the background, but I always focus on one in particular. I'd say I still switch around a lot when I get bored. (I'll eventually finish one. I hope.)

One award winner or one best seller?

I'm not really close to being published, but I'm selfish and I love fame sooo...

Fantasy or sci-fi?

Like I said, I love dystopia and other sci-fi subgenres (steampunk), but the hardcore sci-fi that has space stuff and futuristic technology is not for me. I rather read it and admire the research than actually do it. And I feel like it's easier to be creative with fantasy.

Character description or setting description?

Every time I try to describe characters in writing it ends up with five sentences starting with 'his eyes, his hair, his body, etc'. I'm getting better, but describing lighting, smell, or vibes is a lot more fun to me.

First or final draft?

I... don't really draft...? I fix small mistakes, but I usually write almost everything I have right off the bat. Maybe it's bad, but I've never had a bad problem.

Love triangle in everything or no romantic arcs?

Love triangles are good, but I don't often write stories which entirely focus on romance, there's always something else. I just feel like good platonic relationships are underrated. And yes, I'm being hypocritical since I've yet to write a story focusing on family or friends, but I will some day!

Constant sandstorm or rainstorm?

I love rain! Sandstorm sounds like an odd other thing to put, honestly. Who wants to have sand in their eyes all the time?

#I don't know why I did the colours like that I just felt like it #tag games #tag game #this was a lot of fun but also hard

[wizardrps]

Wanted: RP Partner(s)

Howdy! So long story short, I am once again getting back into roleplaying, and so I thought I'd make this silly little side blog to try and find some people to roleplay with! Soooo let's get on with it!!!

About me:

My name is Jessie, I'm nonbinary, and my pronouns are they/he! I'm a current college student, so I tend to get very busy out of nowhere. My style is what you'd call advanced literate/novella. I write only in 3rd person. I also have a habit of writing a lot. I have been writing and roleplaying for 10 whole years (I have a lot of stories about my rp history. It's kind of embarrassing lol).

As a little disclaimer regarding my response timing: like I mentioned, I'm currently in my undergrad and my schedule can be hectic. Some days, I'm not busy at all and that means I'm free to respond whenever. However, some days I'm super busy and cannot respond. I try my hardest to be as open and communicative with my roleplay partners as possible. That being said, I do not expect a response immediately after I respond. Take as much time as you need! I know that you have a life outside of roleplaying just as much as I do.

Preferences for Roleplay Partners:

I am over 18, so I am... a little uncomfortable with roleplaying certain themes and topics with people who are underaged. Under no circumstances will I roleplay NSFW with a minor. Please, for the love of all things that are good, do not lie about your age just so you can roleplay NSFW with me. I was 14 at some point too and got upset when adults wouldn't roleplay with me either, but trust me when I say it has nothing to do with your maturity or you as a person. It is for both of our safety and well-being.

As for the topic of NSFW, no porn-without-plots. I don't mind nsfw, but I really don't like it to be the bulk of a roleplay. It gets boring really quick for me.

Please be literate! I'm definitely not an amazing writer and don't expect you to be one either. I'm not a stickler for grammar or stuff like that, but literacy is important to me.

Last but not least, someone who is willing to talk OOC! The most fun I've ever had with roleplays was when I've roleplayed with people who have talked to me OOC. Whether it's about the roleplay or anything about your life, talk to me!!! We don't have to be best friends, but I like to think of roleplaying as a good way to make some really cool friends that I can basically work on a story with :) There's no obligation to always be talking to me, but talking from time to time is nice.

The fun stuff!!! What I'm looking for:

Fandom or OC! I lean towards OC, but if there's a fandom we both enjoy that I can comfortably write a character from, then let's do it! My main genres of interest are: high/dark fantasy, modern fantasy, horror/psychological thriller, pretty much any historical fiction especially if it is medieval or takes place in the last 200 years, some sci-fi, or anything that gives Life is Strange vibes. I'm down for realistic fiction settings, but I usually prefer the other stuff.

Ships. As a queer person, I prefer lgbt relationship dynamics. I'm comfortable with straight ships, but they're just not what I'm used to. Most of my OCs are guys, but I have gals, nonbinary, and trans people also thrown into the mix of my endless batch of OCs. Also, platonic ships are welcomed!

Fandoms:

If you are looking to roleplay a fandom, here's what I'm currently into/what I'm willing to roleplay! A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones, the Witcher(show, books up to a certain point I left off at lol), the Elder Scrolls, Dragon Age (all 3 games), Hannibal, and Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit (movies and books I guess?)

No/no's:

Things that will get you immediately blocked if you try to pull include: non-con, incest, s/a, children in any sexual context, or any fetishes that have to do with bodily fluids.

Things that are iffy/icks: romanticization of mental illness (i.e. if you haven't done the research to be able to correctly pull of an interpretation of a character with ASPD, don't do it), abusive relationships, and dub-con.

Disclaimer: these are things that I am not okay writing into detail about. For example, if your character has a past of being abused, I am okay with having the subject touched upon. However, I am not comfortable writing an abusive relationship where my OC is abusive towards yours, or vice versa. Please just be respectful and speak to me OOC prior to bringing up any of these subjects.

Anyhoodles, that's about it! Sorry this post is long and drawn out. If you're interested in roleplaying, please interact with this post via comment or like, or message me! My main means of roleplaying is through discord. My discord tag is WizardLizard#2018. Please bare in mind that I get busy (and last time I made one of these posts I got absolutely swamped with responses and got overwhelmed), so it might take me a little while to get back to you! No matter what I will respond, though!

#roleplay #roleplay finder #rp finder #roleplay ad #rp ad #rp advert #fantasy roleplay #fandom roleplay #fantasy rp #fandom rp #literate rp #literate roleplay #fantasy rp finder #looking for rp

[changingplay]

Life is Queer: Queer Time and Identity in Life is Strange and Member of the Wedding

We cannot control the flow of time. We passively experience the effects of time as we move through life, yet, who is to say that we all experience that time in the same way? Delays, stutters, and hitches disturb sequential temporality, a temporality more and more defined by “chrononormativity”, a mutually experienced time which helps “institutional forces come to seem like somatic facts” (Freeman 3). Institutions which vie to control the “bodily tempos and routines” (3) of daily life and therefore continue to push the “logic of time-as-productive” (5) are ever-present in modern society. One must always be doing something productive with their time – it is finite, it cannot be rewound, so it must not be wasted. Pivotally, the ability to queer time, and step away from traditional future-progress thought patterns is a rebellious act which liberates individuals from capitalistic structures which aim to control and normalise life. 

Unreality, then, gives us a new way to look at time. By escaping the plains of everyday living, with its constant reminders of progressing time (calendars, clocks, alarms, schedules etc), we can consider realities without linear time. In a world where structures of power that control our mutual experiences of time are ever-present, and continually tied to oppressive governments and corporate structures, there is undeniable value for queer individuals to play with different interpretations of time. I single out queer individuals specifically as benefitting from this because our relationship with sequential time leads to a childhood defined by a pending heterosexuality, our “official destination” (Stockton 7) come adulthood. By rejecting the expected standard and being queer, we already hold some victory over the structures of modern time. Our existence is a rejection of chrononormativity, which makes its structural effects more potent, as we must linger in a world built for and out of systems of heterosexual dominance and expectations. By playing within other worlds, all queer people are given the opportunity to see time through new lenses – ones which may seem to line up more with our personal experiences as queer people over the heteronormative reality we live in. 

These other worlds are numerous, from all manner of media, but in this essay I focus specifically on two extremes – the classic novel format, and the modern video game. By choosing to analyse Member of the Wedding, a queer bildungsroman novel, alongside Life is Strange, a queer coming of age video game, I hope to establish how Freeman’s ideas around queer temporality linger through art due to their persistent relevance to queer lives. Analepsis is used throughout the Member, queering our experience of the novel’s time through its continual movement between events of the presumed present and immediate past, obfuscating the novel’s actual narrative length of “four days” (Seymour 306). This time-play consequentially queers our perception of the novel, and of its protagonist. Frankie, as we read the novel, changes and molds herself into different identities and personas through continual name changes. Queer time and queer identity mix to create a queer narrative which defies systems of structure. Further, LiS showcases the impact of modern technology in queer storytelling, presenting a player-controlled narrative led by a bisexual time travelling teenager, Max Caulfield, as she uncovers a sci-fi murder mystery with her best friend and potential lover, Chloe Price (Fig 1). The game queers time explicitly, allowing Max to reverse time to reconsider her (and therefore the player’s) narrative choices or relive moments in the immediate past. I argue this ability to reverse time is a ludic version of the “odd” (Seymour 306) analepsis seen in Member. Additionally, the ability to choose your narrative as a player is a way to closely identify with a queer power fantasy which allows us to act without chrononormative structures. We can test our sexualities without consequence in this virtual queer simulator. Lastly, I touch on the ending of LiS, and its ultimate irreversible choice between sacrificing Chloe, your soulmate, or the entire town the game takes place in and the ways in which academics and fans responded to this choice through an examination of the player statistics of choices made worldwide. 

Figure 1. Life is Strange. Personal Screenshot.

Time flows. Between us, around us, and through us, we cannot avoid time. When we sit down to read a book, we necessarily allocate our time to its consumption, and our time is exhausted whilst the diegetic time of the narrative we are reading is concurrently elapsing. This verisimilitude of elapsed time can be a functional technique to enhance the realism of a narrative, but since readers do not consistently read at the same pace, and narratives rarely limit themselves to real-time telling, storytellers necessarily use techniques such as ellipses and analepsis to ‘play’ with time. Rejecting linear time, narratives are queered by flashbacks and flash-forwards in the service of the story. Simply: narratives are unbound by our time, and the hour we spend reading can reflect years within a novel’s diegesis. This fact is incredibly freeing in that it allows a writer to present complex and time-intensive developments without consuming a proportional amount of the reader’s time. Notably, in the case of Member, playing with time can allow for a playground outside of the rules of chrononormativity – the “past” no longer need predict and become “material for a future” (Freeman 5). Instead, the future can become material for the past, or even purely immaterial. Freeman speaks of the chrono trappings inherent in modern society which novels allow an escape from. As Member meanders towards the titular wedding event, we as readers are thrust back and forth between events of the near-past, the already-covered past, the present, the future and everything in between. Seymour labels this liberal analepsis as “odd”, something which makes it difficult to “recognize the novel takes place over only four days.” (306). It creates a disconnect between the flow of time that the reader is naturally used to and McCullers’ imagined time. This disconnect is reflected in the start of the novel, where Frankie reflects on the prolonged feeling of Summer, blazing through descriptions of her experience of the season in half-a-page as if it was a “green sick dream” (1). Dreams are areas outside of normal time, outside of reality. They are a queered reality, an escape much like novels themselves. Eventually, on the last day of August, suddenly “all this was changed”. Frankie remarks “It is so very queer. (…) The way it all just happened”. (1) Starting the novel with this description of prolonged dream-like past only to shatter it with the queerness of the present shows the fickle adaptability of time and prepares the reader for the chronological techniques that are used throughout the novel. For Frankie time is experienced variably, both quickly and slowly. Pivotally, it shows the queerness of time, the way it flows around us yet how we all experience it so differently. In Member, time is a lived experience; it doesn’t respect logical boundaries. It responds to the mood of Frankie, her subjective experience of time, and moves between and through events accordingly.

Time affects identity. The ways we experience time are dependent on our independent circumstances, and queer people, who inherently reject the heteronormative standard of society through their very existence, are in a unique position of rebellion against chrononormativity as well. The “child who ‘will be’ straight is merely approaching while crucially delaying (in its own asynchronous fix) the official destination of straight sexuality, and therefore showing itself as estranged from what it would approach.” (Stockton 7). From childhood, time and queerness are linked through this “delay”. Stockton sees that the expected endpoint for children is rejected by queer people, which retroactively means their childhood is stuck in a sort of identity stasis where queer expression cannot be discovered or acted out until the child reaches adulthood. Childhood becomes wholly a “green sick dream” (McCullers 1), a prolonged period of identity paralysis until the sudden access to queer performance in adulthood. However, this childhood is not a linear progression to adulthood. Despite child protection laws and social expectations, many teenagers experiment with their sexualities openly regardless, forcing the penny drop of queerness earlier in life to escape the “official destination of straight sexuality”. Queer identity rejects societal norms. In Member, Frankie rejects predetermined aspects of her identity through her continual name-changes. Frankie laments that the “world seemed separate from herself” (31) near the beginning of the novel when she has yet to change her identity, yet when she first changes her name, it was “the day when (…) the world no longer seemed separate from herself and when all at once she felt included.” (59) Identity change here is linked to a sense of acceptance and belonging, both key themes in the novel. Seymour remarks that these name changes are “performances, rather than markers, of growth and change.” (304), however, I argue that queer identity is built through a series of performances made tangible through acceptance of that performance into one’s own self. Even though Frankie seemingly forces her numerous name-changes throughout the narrative, it is the dedication to this performance, this experimentation with other identities, that truly showcases her as a queer protagonist. The willingness to try and reject elements of life thrust upon her is the quintessential essence of queer expression. 

Performance, then, is the key element that LiS adds to the queer coming of age narrative framework. Specifically, the ability to perform as the protagonist of the story through interactive play and choice-making. Max Caulfield doesn’t need to change her name to reinvent her identity – the player injects their own life, their own name, to form the narrative of LiS. Released across five staggered episodes throughout 2015, LiSis an interactive choice driven video game set in suburban Oregon, following the life of 18 year old Max Caulfield as she navigates her newfound power to reverse time. The game “narrates the existential maturation of an adolescent girl” (Miranda 826) and allows us as players to determine the direction this maturation goes. It is an explicitly queer narrative, with Max being a “genuinely queer character predominantly occupied with her relationship with Chloe” (Waszkiewicz), and regardless of the amount of player interaction within the narrative, the relationship between these two characters forms the core of the game’s story. Importantly, as a game, it can present its narrative through visuals and audio. The use of a player-controlled camera allows for bespoke ways to see each scene, creating unique experiences for each player. Unlike a novel, the fabric of a game is formed through the player’s ability to express themselves in the playspace through interaction, and this in turn effects the narrative. Choices are not the only impact of the player, meaning this isn’t an experience that is able to be replicated by a choose-your-own-adventure book format. The game is constantly giving the player minute choices through the very act of using a controller as an input and progression mechanism. Novels, too, have an input mechanism in the form of the page turn, and the pace of reading. However, in terms of a consumer’s agency, the video game form is synergistic with a narrative framed around time and choice as the very act of playing any game is fuelled by choices. This is an inherently queer way to experience a narrative, as it allows for such player agency and expression that it rejects the rigidity of storytelling. You are both story crafter and story consumer. I can turn the camera to frame Chloe between an American flag and a parental advisory label to symbolise her as trapped in-between a society she hates and the anti-social and abrasive personality she embodies to rage against it (Figure 2), or I can focus the camera instead on the radio in her room to listen to the licensed indie soundtrack, and both would be valid methods to experience the game. 

Figure 2. Life is Strange. Personal Screenshot.

As a choice driven drama, there is an inherent tension between the time travel mechanic and the severity of choice. Previous games in this genre, such as Telltale’s The Walking Dead, are built upon the tension created by forcing the player to make irreversible and consequential choices. However, LiS deconstructs this trope by making all but the final choice immediately reversible, allowing the player to experiment with different choices. Time travel is used as a vehicle for experimentation and play. Like Member, the time travel also has a queer ability akin to analepsis. If time in Member flows according to Frankie, time is literally controlled by the player in LIS, flowing according to our will. This powerful control fuelled by the interactive narrative is what makes the game an “opportunity to decide (..) what to do in crucial existential simulated situations” transforming the game into a “series of philosophical, ethical, emotional, and collective thought experiments” (Miranda 835). Expanding upon this, the game specifically acts as a playground for queer experimentation, allowing the player to ‘play’ gay and “simulate heavy ethical or emotional choices” in queer roleplay “without irreversible consequences” (Miranda 835). For queer individuals, the ability to experiment with their sexuality and identity in a safe space is invaluable. There are numerous choices in LiS, but I want to focus on a choice presented in Episode 3 where the player is asked to choose to kiss Chloe (Fig 3). Much like any of the major choices in the game, it is presented with a blurry filter as time seems to crumble and freeze around the player as they decide. This grants the choice a huge amount of gravitas due to the conditioning made thus far that this effect is reserved for only the most important of narrative branches in the game, however, in dialogue, it is framed as Chloe daring Max in a playful way. This tug between playfulness and seriousness perhaps betrays the exceptionality of the scene – video games, especially non-indie titles, are extremely seldom to show queer relationships. Despite this, the ability to reverse this choice and, importantly, replay it multiple times sparks an evolution of Freeman’s queer temporality. In her analysis of K.I.P., she discusses the impossibility of “physical contact across time” (13). LiS presents a playground where this contact is no longer impossible, and just like the viewer of K.I.P. could “zoom the tape backward to the money shot as often as they wanted” (1), players too can replay this queer moment endlessly - The game even remarks on this, one of the few times the game’s dialogue directly references the player’s ability to rewind (Fig 4). The literal time-travel mechanic is one that allows for queer power fantasies unseen in other media due to the player’s agency in evoking queer content on screen.

Figure 3. Life is Strange. Personal Screenshot.

Figure 4. Life is Strange. Personal Screenshot.

Evoking the content is poignant as, due to the staggered release of the game, each episode’s choices are statistically calculated and shown to the player, allowing both player and developer to see the worldwide consensus of choices. This leads to introspection on behalf of the player, moments of disbelief at other player’s choices or comfort in achieving consistency with others. It also “effectively” influenced “LIS’s developers in the ongoing writing of the last episodes. LIS has become a platform of cocreation and collective rhetoric.” (Miranda 836). By the time I re-played through LiS for this essay, 78% of players kissed Chloe (Fig 5) according to the online statistics shown at the end of every episode. The knowledge of this immediately comforts me, as I am confirmed in my queer sensibilities that most players are willing to allow two queer-coded characters to share an overtly gay event. It is hard to overstate how important, as a playground for queer experimentation, this statistic is for allowing a player to perhaps accept their own queer identity. However, the impact of these statistics is also dependent on if players choose the queer option. At the end of the game, a final irreversible choice is given to the player. As retribution for abusing her time travel powers, the game demands that Max decide between resetting the world back to before she gained her powers – and therefore killing Chloe, as her first use of the power was to save her life, or letting Arcadia Bay turn to rubble due to an impending hurricane caused by the constant time travel (Fig 6). 48% of people chose to sacrifice Arcadia Bay (Fig 7), a choice given the moniker “bae > bay” (Dunne 436). This Brexit-esque statistic belies the dwindled majority that the previous kiss held, which Butt and Dunne argue to be caused by the writing of Chloe as “fated to die”, which is what positions the player to feel justified in picking the “antipunk, antiwoman, antiqueer option” of sacrificing Chloe (435). In removing the ability to reject chrononormativity in this singular choice, the game removes the playground of queer experimentation. The game is no longer a safe space. Despite this, it is exceptional that so many players were so enthralled by the queer relationship between Chloe and Max that the trolley problem presented here still results in so many players choosing to save a bisexual punk rocker over every other character in the game. 

Figure 6. Life is Strange. Personal Screenshot.

Figure 7. Life is Strange. Personal Screenshot.

We cannot control the flow of time. Our daily lives are stifled by chrononormativity, by the onslaught of schedules and work hours that manage our time on a macro scale. However, as queer individuals, we are uniquely positioned in rebellion to time’s linear progress through our delays in childhood and inevitable rejection of “the official destination of straight sexuality” (Stockton 7). Through reading and play, we can experience realities that reject chrononormativity and assign a queer temporality to imagined realities, which in turn leads to experimentations with queer identity. In Member, by using analepsis and other chrono-breaks, the reader’s sense of time is disturbed by continual references back to “hours or even minutes prior” that may have already “been touched upon previously” (Seymour 306). This queers the narrative, alongside Frankie’s continual name-changes which show her performing new identities to find a self she feels “included” in (McCullers 59). LiS takes the principles of performance and creates a playground for queer expression through the technological capabilities of video games in allowing for interactivity. Players are given narrative choices and control over time, allowing them to play as a bisexual teenager through her coming of age. The mesh of time travel, a literal refusal of sequential time, with queer interactive narrative gives the player a safe space to both rewind any choice without consequences and to replay any scenes for enjoyment. The game utilises interactivity as an inherently queered way to experience a narrative, one which evokes co-creation with a world of players through online statistics for every choice in the game. Queer temporality is relished in until the final moment whereby the game removes the queer safe space it establishes and forces the player back into real time. However, in allowing the player to play queer, the final choice of sacrificing queer romance over thousands of digital lives is made significantly harder. In the end, while “bae > bay” is not the winning choice, it is life affirming that so many players became so invested in a queer romance that the outcome was as statistically meaningful as it was.

Works Cited:

Butt, Mahli-Ann Rakkomkaew, and Daniel Dunne. “Rebel Girls and Consequence in Life Is Strange and The Walking Dead.” Games and Culture, vol. 14, no. 4, SAGE Publications, 2019, pp. 430–49.

de Miranda, Luis. “Life Is Strange and ‘Games Are Made’: A Philosophical Interpretation of a Multiple-Choice Existential Simulator With Copilot Sartre.” Games and Culture, vol. 13, no. 8, SAGE Publications, 2018, pp. 825–42.

Freeman, Elizabeth. “Introduction: Queer and Not Now.” Time Binds, Duke University Press, 2020, pp. 1–20.

Life is Strange. Steam Version, Square Enix, 2015.

McCullers, Carson. The Member of the Wedding. Penguin, 1962.

Pötzsch, Holger, and Agata Waszkiewicz. “Life Is Bleak (in Particular for Women Who Exert Power and Try to Change the World): The Poetics and Politics of Life Is Strange.” Game Studies, IT University of Copenhagen, 2019.

Seymour, Nicole. “Somatic Syntax: Replotting the Developmental Narrative in Carson McCullers’s The Member of the Wedding.” Studies in the Novel, vol. 41, no. 3, The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2009, pp. 293-313.

Stockton, Kathryn Bond. “Introduction. Growing Sideways, or Why Children Appear to Get Queerer in the Twentieth Century.” The Queer Child, or Growing Sideways in the Twentieth Century, Duke University Press, 2021, pp. 1–58.

#life is strange #LiS #max mayfield #chloe price #pricefield #essay #video games #analysis #games #literature

[celentriateam]

Hello! My name is Will S. And I'm here to tell you about Celentria!

I have made this account to document my story, Celentria. I have been working on Celentria since 2018 and I have finally gotten to the point where I can start making something of it. My ultimate goal is for my story to be a animated show but I'm nowhere near close to that being reality at the moment (but i can hope haha) . But i am putting in the work and effort to get there. I have nearly completed the 4th draft of my story and will be working on some concept art soon. Unfortunately due to personal struggles, i took 2 years away from art so at the moment i am having to focus on regaining my art skills. When i have accomplished that, its concept art time!

More about me

My name is Will S. I'm 20 years old and I'm from Britain. I have been writing since I was 9 and drawing since I was 8. I started writing my first story when I was 9 and finished it at age 13. Although I am very proud of it, I was a child when it was written so it definitely could do with some touch ups.

Ever since then I have written a plethora of drafts (57 to be exact) . Of course, the majority of them are an unfinished mess but I'm still proud of them nonetheless. I have 27 completed final drafts that I just have to go over ooone last time to confirm whether they really need to be rewritten for the 700th time.

As I've said I've been drawing since the age of 8. of course most of my drawings at a young age where just 2000s anime girls with unrealistic boobs but I was AMAZING at drawing those large boobed anime girls haha. The art I (hope) to draw now is very whimsical. I have taken a liking to fantasy (a genre I used to avoid) in recent years. My story Celentria is a mix of Whimsical Fantasy, Horror, Drama, Realistic Romance and a hint of Sci-Fi.

BUT anyway this isn't about the 50+ stories that I've written or my recent liking of fantasy art. This is about Celentria, the story that I have been working on for 6 years.

About Celentria

Celentria is a story that I have been working on for the past 6 years (on and off) . Now, I believe I am good at writing. I don't believe that I am the best because if I believed i was the best then I'd never improve. BUT the one thing I historically struggle with is writing blurbs. So for anyone who happens to see this, you're going to have to wait a bit for some story info. My apologies. I will have a dedicated post in the future that will contain an understandable and concise blurb.

(I proceeded to spend the next 30 minuets trying to write a blub and as you can tell from the lack of blurb in this post, I failed)

At the moment It is just me on the team. I did have other people on the team a few years back but due to our ages we where very busy with school so we where unable to continue working with each other. I will tag and end all posts made by me with -WS. If more people join the team then they will do the same but with their initials.

The story of Celentria can be very dark in places so, If I continue to post here, I will put detailed trigger warnings on posts that require them.

I am currently not looking for other team members as I cannot afford it and I do not believe I am at the level where I can start hiring people yet. I would love to make money of off my art but at the moment I am just a cleaner so I definitely do not make enough to sustain a team. But I hope I will in the future.

If everything goes as hoped, then Celentria will be a fully animated show that will be on video based website for free or paid (it really depends on money , as most things do unfortunately) I have even considered making a visual novel game that takes place 2 weeks before the main story starts, as promotion. But of course that is something that I cannot do at the moment so I wont speak too much on it.

I don't believe I have anything else to say, and I have been writing for a a while now. And on top of that its currently 02:53am so I best be getting some sleep.

Questions are always welcome and I will try my best to answer :)

Thank you for reading

-WS

#-ws #celentria #my story #first draft #my wriring #writing #writer stuff #writer #creative writing #writeblr #writers on tumblr #writers and poets #writers #writing life #author #artwork #art #artists on tumblr #my art #digital art #illustration #art tag #art style #drawings #blog #poets on tumblr #tumblog #lgbtqia #lgbtq community #lgbtq

[youtheniyalma]

Several doodles of unicorns to celebrate National Unicorn Day. These include a frisbee addict, and Marigold discussing with Dok Saau about futuristic technology.

#national unicorn day #unicorn day #unicorn #marigold #phoebe and her unicorn #doodles #ice cream #scifi #who says sci fi and fantasy cannot mix? #horse #horses doing horse things #holojector

[dylanobrienisbatman]

2021 year in review!

Tagged by the ever lovely @boomheda and @iamnotawomanimagod <3

Top 5 Movies You Watched This Year

Dune: As a known lover of all things Science Fiction, and a big time lover of both Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya, I knew I was going to enjoy this movie but... y'all. I cannot say enough good things, this movie was FANTASTIC and I can't wait to watch it again!

Spider-Man: No Way Home: Honestly I love any and all iterations of Spider-Man, and this one was no different. I LOVED this movie, and I'll probably go see it again.

The Green Knight: Oh my GOD this movie was absolutely amazing. Definitely much more artsy than I expected, but it was beautiful and thought provoking, and Dev Patel has never looked better.

Eternals: This list is super marvel heavy, but what can I say. I love a good superhero movie, and this one was SO good! I loved the concept, the actors were phenomenal, the story was actually really moving and lovely, and oh my god guys deaf superhero!!! deaf!!! Super!!!HERO!!!!! And also... the shipping potential... absolutely unmatched. I had a blast watching this, I loved every second.

Black Widow: I was super skeptical coming into this movie, and I definitely agree with the critique that it was truly too little too late in terms of the character, but my god this movie was fun!! Yelena is obviously a total stand out character, but even Natasha had more depth and warmth, and the fight scenes were SO cool!

Top 5 TV Shows You Watched This Year

Wheel of Time: Okay, so if you didn't know, Fantasy is probably my favourite genre, and I have been waiting for this show since I first heard about it. I've not yet read the books (they're on my list!) but oh my GOD I'm loving the show! SUPER cool badass characters, phenomenal world building, a good mystery and intrigue, and I love the actors! So excited to watch the finale TONIGHT and I can't wait for s2 already (thank god for an early renewal!!)!

Ted Lasso: Anyone who knows me knows comedies are something I'm extremely picky about, so this one was a huge shock. I honestly put it on in the background to have as just noise, but pretty much immediately I knew I was going to love it. It's so incredibly well written, beautifully acted, and laugh out loud funny without being stupid or annoying. Easily one of the best shows I've seen in a long time, and it has earned every accolade it's been given.

Shadow and Bone: Yet another fantasy series, and I'm obsessed. This show is the first I've felt inspired to write any fic for since t100, and for good reason. I love the cast, I think they're phenomenal, and I think they've done an amazing job of adapting a book I really just... did not enjoy, into a thrilling, exciting, and awesome show. And, of course... Malyen Oretsev... my Beloved <3.

Foundations: So I watched this with my dad, and it's really very heavy science fiction. Based on the classic Sci-Fi novels by Isaac Assimov, this show was pretty dense and sometimes hard to follow, but my dad and I read some Assimov books together when I was a kid so we watched this together and we loved it. Full of mystery and intrigue, absolutely stunning to watch, and beautifully acted, I was absolutely entranced for every minute and I can't wait for more.

Ragnarok: This little weird netflix show was not really what I expected, but I loved it all the same. A modern take on norse mythology, I didn't love the main character or even the main storyline, but the villains were so interesting and fun to watch, it definitely makes the list.

Top 5 Songs of 2021

2011 - 5 Seconds of Summer: ... is anyone shocked? This song is everything to me, honestly. A beautiful mix of all the 5sos era's blended together to make something so special and so wonderful. Plus... it's a Calum song. Swoon.

Mean to You - Almondmilkhunni: NGL, I literally only found Almondmilkhunni because she's dating someone from 5sos, but her music is delightful. Sultry, sexy R&B with gorgeous vocals and good vibes all around. This song is my favourite by her, but she's got a few that I really love.

Bad Girls Don't Cry - The Night Game: Not really sure how I came across this one but its SUCH a jam!! Sharp, heavy beats and cool vocals, I'm really into it. The album as a whole wasn't my favourite but they had a couple songs I really dug.

Easier than Lying - Halsey: I will be honest, this album has not been given the attention it deserves by me this year, but I intend to change that. This song in particular stuck out to me on first listen and I absolutely adored it! Halsey has always been a fave of mine so I'm excited to give this album another go sometime soon.

Zitti E Buoni - Måneskin: As someone who was big into Tokio Hotel in high school, my love for european rock bands is long standing, and I'm honestly loving what i've heard from Måneskin so far. I haven't given them a ton of time, but this song is so heavy and so cool, I can't get enough.

Top 5 Albums You Heard This Year

When Facing The Things We Turn Away From - Luke Hemmings: Ethereal and vibey as hell, Luke Hemming's first dip into solo work was nothing short of magnificent. Every song is it's own unique experience, and the themes of memory and life lived and what it means to grow up are beautiful. A phenomenal lyricist, a extraordinary musician, I knew it would be good but I really had no idea it would be this good.

Cherry Blossom - The Vamps: An 80's pop, pop rock, brit pop, bright, beautiful, musical masterpiece, this album is nothing short of spectacular. The lead singer's vocal abilities are absolutely incredible and the unique use of instrumentation creates an album of genre bending pop rock bliss. Listen to Married in Vegas and then come talk to me.

X - The Driver Era: Ross Lynch's deep, sultry vocals paired with the funky vibes create an album I have on repeat all. the. time. The thumping bass and chill vibes, make this album one I put on from start to finish. This band was also the first concert I've been too in over 2 years and they sure as shit know how to put on a show.

The Good Times and the Bad Ones - Why Don't We: Honestly this album has some BANGERS! The overall album is a bit hit or miss for me, definitely some skips, but I really love the overall vibe, the guys in this band can really sing, and I'm excited to see where they go next with their music! Very pop-y, but with some genre bending vibes that look promising for whatever they do next. Fallin' (Adrenaline) is an absolute SMASH of a song.

Not so much an album, but I've gotten into the band COIN this year, and I love it! They have great vibes, a really cool sound, and i'm excited to hear more! I've also gotten into the band CAMINO recently, and I'm a big fan of Bad Suns as well!

Top 5 Books You Read in 2021

Six of Crows - Leigh Bardugo: What can even be said about six of crows that hasn't already been said? Phenomenal characters, riveting plot, beautiful writing, its a page turner from the first line and I've reread it at least twice this year. I tried to read S&B and was sorely disappointed, so I went into this without much expectation and was completely blown away. 10/10, would read for a fourth time.

These Violent Delights - Chloe Gong: What a fucking cool book, to be honest. A beautiful historical sci-fi (disguised as fantasy) retelling of Romeo and Juliet, set in 1920's Shanghai, Gong creates a riveting, exciting tale full of twists and turns and tons of mystery and intrigue. I haven't read the sequel yet, but I'm honestly so excited to get into it, because the world that was built here was truly spectacular.

The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern: What a... weird fucking book. I don't really know what else to say. This book is epitome of just vibes. The plot is loose at best, and sometimes hard to pin down, but the prose is absolutely gorgeous, the characters are heartfelt and powerful, the world building is insane, and I couldn't put it down. Prepare yourself to really have no idea whats going on and to love every second of it.

City of Brass - S.A. Chakraborty: A beautiful, extraordinary fantasy novel. The world built here is so deep and rich, the magic and the 'monsters' are unique and so interesting, the heroine is full of fire, and the writing is gorgeous. If you enjoy fantasy, but are tired of the euro-centric fantasy worlds that are so common, grab this book, you will not be disappointed.

An Ember in the Ashes - Sabaa Tahir: Honestly, if you'd asked me earlier this year, this book would be higher on my list, but the sequel left such a sour taste in my mouth that this one has fallen by comparison. But even on it's own this book was such a good read. It has spies and magic and political intrigue, the world building is harsh and not afraid to be frank about what the world looks like, and the two main characters are really phenomenal. Hopefully one day the second book will stop lingering in my head and I can grab the final book in the series to enjoy!

5 Positive Things That Happened in 2021

I got 5sos tickets!!!! June 2022 baby lets GO!

I got a new job in March (FINALLY) and it's really working out and I love it.

I made plans for what comes next, which includes a lot of traveling because my new job is fully remote, and it's really given me a lot of stuff to look forward too.

New puppy! We got a Saint Bernard named Maggie and i love her.

I got back into reading this year, which has been really amazing. Big ups to six of crows for being the spark that helped me out on that one.

Hope everyone had a great year! Lots of love to you all <3

Tagging: @thelittlefanpire @the-most-beautiful-broom @willexxmercer @hopskipaway @bluevalntine @its-ashleyreads @hostagetakerandhistraitor @laufire @darling-stay-with-me @oretsov @rosealie @bombshellsandbluebells @robsheens @mal-zoya @myonetruenorth @probably-voldemort @captainbobbiedraper and anyone else who wants to!!

#2021 year in review #dune #spider man: no way home #eternals #the green knight #ragnarok netflix #5 seconds of summer #the vamps #the driver era #six of crows #luke hemmings #shadow and bone #wheel of time #foundations #ted lasso #black widow

[interact-if]

Hello mods! I know there are five mods (right?) running this blog, so I think each of you have your own taste when it comes to choosing/reading ifs. My question is- I don't know if this have been asked before, but what is your favourite if genre(s)?

no one had asked about us before indeed! i believe this is the first ask that addresses us personally!

I'm not much of a genre person, really. All i really look for is an interesting premise and I am biased to read games written by friends LOL

The only thing I do enjoy is reading games written in lighter styles, which isn't to say I like light topics only, I just have a hard time focusing on writing styles that become too detailed and almost massive to read. And again, I've got nothing against people who write that way and I have read and loved IFs like that! I just need more brainpower to read them which I don't always have

I do avoid games that become sad just for the sake of being sad since my mood dampens easily, and I do tend to enjoy games in which your relationships with other characters can change wildly based on your choices. Hopefully that somehow answers your question??

Hmmm 🤔 I read any and all genres, like Cruz, it's the premise and the characters that hook me.

That being said, I like 'smaller' plots, where its about the characters, the relationships you build, the stakes are personal (think The Fog Knows Your Name, Slammed!, to name a couple), and less 'we need to save the universe bc we live in the universe'. If the story isn't personal then it takes a lot for me to get invested.

That being said, stories with 'big' plots can still be personal, they just got to emphasize character interactions, push the 'found family' or whatever aspect. Like 'it's all well and good that we need to save the universe, and I'll do it, but I'm doing it for these specific people tyvm'.

I do like heists, I like games that touch on heavier topics and let me explore the ugly, more desperate, parts of being human, but also enjoy a good rom-com, and always bounce between medieval fantasy to cyberpunk sci-fi.

Ohh, I'm a massive fan of all genres, send me an IF and tell me a single trope in it and I'll read, that's all it takes.

I do love sci-fi and fantasy - modern, high, a sprinkle of it in the corner of a single sentence - plus supernatural-types of IFs, where something isn't quite normal or expected from our world, but very interesting to read and get into! You got a vampire? Sign me up. You got werewolves? Sign me up. You got angels? Demons? Some obscure supernatural creature I cannot think of right now? Sign me up.

Add some mystery in there and I'm good to go. I'm a very simple enby 😌 I am also incredibly weak so I tend to avoid tragedy IFs, but do gravitate towards both heavy and light games, depending on how much brainpower I have after

Thank you for asking!!

I've always been a versatile reader so the genre doesn't really matter to me. if the premise catches my interest, then I'll definitely be reading it! I guess you could say it more so depends on the plot of the project itself, rather than the genre.

Then in that case, I'm partial to IFs that put a heavy emphasis to the connectivity/relationships of the characters with each other? Not just in a romantic sense too, I really enjoy projects which focuses on familial and platonic relationships with a good mix of personal stakes from the plot.

If we're talking go-to genre interest though, it would probably be either horror or mystery. I was raised on those genres and I guess they just rooted themselves into my heart 😌

True to form, I think I’m opposite to most of my fellow mods LOL?? While there’s not a lot I don’t enjoy (...any? I don’t enjoy?), I think I have a particular hankering for the complex, slightly heavier, slightly sprawling plot monstrosities—the more brain-bending, the better. Conspiracy, mystery, lore. All of that? My jam. As a result, I tend to love high fantasy, myths, mysteries, things of that sort, mostly because that’s where you tend to develop a lot of intrigue, but you can also develop a similar complexity with sci-fi, which is another genre I’m feral for.

I really, really appreciate when a story is structured in a way such that, as you’re reading, you don’t even realize that a larger plot is brewing/unfolding, that the hints are right before your eyes—my favorite stories have always been the ones where the plot direction isn’t glaringly obvious, yet once each point is revealed, the steps taken to get there are clear-cut. The kind of story that leaves room for the audience to prospect on what might happen because there are hints sprinkled everywhere. The kind of story where everything feels very organic—the plot “twists” are appropriately shocking, scandalous, heart-wrenching, but don’t come out of nowhere, because everything in the story has a foundation.

Ahem. Waxed a little poetic there. Anyways. Big fan of fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, brain-bending mind-melters; that’s pretty much the only kind of TV/media I watch, too. Other than stand-up.

I do enjoy a little supernatural, apocalyptic, and low fantasy content as lighter reading, too, though! I don’t usually look for that kind of stuff to be mind-melting, though, LOL.

And, also, the brain-bending, mind-melting stuff tends to have a 50-50 shot of also being horror-related, so I think it’s fair to tack on that I like horror, too!

TL, DR: I, Dani, have terminal chatterbox disease, can’t ever be concise: favorite genres are mind-melting/brain-bending, fantasy, mystery, sci-fi, horror. Add a splash of some supernatural and apocalypse in there!

#let dani ramble 2k21 #anonymous #mod talk #interact if: asks

[filliteapot]

I liked Kowloon Generic Romance at the start, the atmosphere and the gentle dystopian surrounding, I found the city romantic but the mystery and the conflict part has taken a too big role for my liking. I prefered the story when it was about two people's relationship and small moments between them.

I guess it's the same for me. It's hard to enjoy a thing when you like one part of it and are so meh about the other.

It's not like I put any expectations or personal desires in this story, as dopellgangers and sci-fi elements etc were stated from the start, but maybe I wanted them to remain a vague and mysterious scenery behind the two people's personal drama? If I remember correctly, it's exactly what I liked in the first chapters. That mystery might turn out real or might be a metaphor. But I feel like the huge presence of some concrete evil corporation doing experiments on people already ruined much for me. Maybe even not the presence, but the gravity of this storyline...

My desinterest in such themes lately aside, I think the mood of these two components of the story is pretty much different and it doesn't mix up well. Here we have slice of life, nostalgia, complicated feelings, questions like 'which version of yourself you want to be', 'it is for someone else or for yourself' - like, things you can relate to even if you are not living in a dystopian city being a dopellganger of someone else. And here we have some global scale, evil plotting, shocking things, childhood trauma, other triggers, and be ready it is the core of our story in fact. I'm not saying it's a bad thing or that such things cannot cohexist in a story, but here I just feel a certain imbalance and cannot get interested by the second component.

Altering chapters with two storylines doesn't really help to make it balanced - I think, "balance" means for me that I as a reader shouldn't be able to separate story into parts and choose what I like and throw away what I don't, but here I can do it easily and don't even feel like I missed something crucial to understand the main duo's storyline if I skipped the chapters centered on global intrigue and shady guys. But as result I'm still lost in what the author tries to tell me -- maybe the idea is that you understand it all when it all "comes together" in the end, but I like having a certain picture long before the end and tbh I have no real trust in authors ability to make it all come together.

Maybe it's just me and my weird wants, but to tell you the truth I'm suspicious that many authors that try to write fantasy/sci-fi and do it on global scale just don't manage this complicated task. Or who knows, maybe writing something psychologically engaging with elements of fantasy or mystery is even harder? It just makes me sad that so many people go for the first and don't even try to do the second.

#replies #kowloon generic romance #una sorta thoughts #it's all about balance in the end #and the thing i don't like in what i call 'global' stories is actually not the problems they touch #but their lack of balance and desire to touch everything at once #okay then touch characters' relationsips and personalities too #but the scale the story has leaves no room for this #and i have no room to care for such stories

[shihalyfie]

02 and the question of “what a life is”

One topic more specific to 02 is the question of what exactly counts as being “alive”, which is initially brought up as a question when Ken discarding the Kaiser persona is directly caused by the revelation that he might have misjudged this, leading into the second half of the series where other issues reveal that it’s not as easy of a question as one thinks. In the end, 02 never gives a concrete answer about what constitutes the boundary between something that’s “alive” and “not alive” -- but, being a series that’s very much about pragmatism, gives a much clearer answer as to what one should do about it.

While it’s not named directly in the series itself (I’m not sure if this specific named concept was the intent, as it’s since expanded to become a fairly ubiquitous theme in sci-fi and fantasy overall), 02 deals heavily with a question related to a thought experiment called the “Chinese room problem”, which originated as a question related to artificial intelligence development and has since expanded into having philosophical and spiritual nuances (perhaps fittingly for Digimon Adventure, which is heavily about digital technology and sci-fi but mixes it with a lot of philosophical and spiritual imagery).

The Chinese room problem goes like this: let’s say you’re a person who has never learned, studied, or grown up with the Chinese language (or, really, any language you can’t understand or read; Chinese was only used as an example because the person explaining the thought experiment was using himself as an example and couldn’t read or understand it). You’re locked in a room that has a bunch of Chinese phrasebooks that give you instructions -- basically, they indicate common Chinese phrases, and sensible responses you can give to them (without actually translating it to a language you know). Someone slips you a piece of paper under the door with some Chinese phrases on them. You use the phrasebooks to write appropriate responses, and slip the paper back. The person outside the door reads the paper, sees what they gave you, and sees the response you gave them. It makes sense, of course, because the phrasebook told you to write an answer that made sense. But can you be said to actually understand Chinese? No, because you were just following instructions without actually understanding what they meant.

So let’s expand this to make it a bit more complicated: say you have an AI or a robot or something of the sort that accepts “input” -- people saying things to it, or showing it things -- and gives expected “responses” that seem sensible, through a bunch of complicated programs and processes in its programming. Can you say this robot is “alive”? One might say “no”, because, no matter how complicated and intricate it is, all of it is technically following a set of routine commands telling it to do certain things in response...or so you might say, but couldn’t you say the same thing about a human brain, which also takes input, processes it according to its own instructions (just caused by chemical processes instead of bytes and code), and creates output? After a certain point, this question is going to become far more of a philosophical, spiritual, and potentially even religious question than anything.

Adventure and 02 undoubtedly have a very spiritual element to it, given the heavy usage of Neoplatonic themes, the concept of “destiny” that hangs heavily over it, and the fact that Digimon themselves are heavily linked to spiritual things like Japanese youkai or other spirits and literally being part of the human soul. Digimon partners are treated as part of their partners’ human psyches, yet are also treated as individuals. And, in the end, it’s driven home that Digimon are made out of data -- but “digital technology” is treated as something that can communicate with such spiritual things. So here’s the question: At what point can a Digimon be called a living being?

Well, really, the first time this had really been brought up was the allusion to the issue in Adventure episode 20 -- when Taichi takes the revelation of the Digital World being a “digital” world a bit too literally and decides to treat it as a game, acting a bit too recklessly as a result. Koushirou himself buys into the theory of “real bodies” (which turns out to be false; this isn’t a Matrix situation where their bodies are sleeping somewhere, but they are actually being migrated here), but the point by the end of this episode is: just because everything is “data” doesn’t mean you get to treat it any less lightly. Do not treat the Digital World like a “game world” or something you can fiddle with at will.

Even if the technicals may make it seem like a computer, the reality of the situation is that everything you do has a permanent effect that you cannot instantly take back. It doesn’t matter what it’s “made” up out of; the issue is more about what you do, and the practical impact it has on what’s around you. (This will very important for later, so keep this in mind as we go.)

So by the time we get to 02, the first time this issue is brought up again is in 02 episode 20, when Ken, as the Kaiser, recognizes the kids’ Digimon Baby forms as the “plushies” he’d seen them carrying in real life during the soccer match back in 02 episode 8, which reveals a lot about his mentality in approaching the Digital World and Digimon -- he’d been under the impression that Digimon couldn’t leave it, apparently, and that they were therefore all part of a simulated game. Driving it in further is that Wormmon refers to the Digimon having “bodies” (as in, physical bodies), which trips Ken’s radar that there’s a lot more to this than he’d thought. There’s also a lot of evidence that Ken wasn’t just solely trying to buy into this concept for the sake of denial and self-justification; up until this point, he’d been noticeably hesitant to physically harm other humans, so he really did buy into there being a substantial difference here.

...But, funnily enough, we later learn in a flashback in 02 episode 23 that Ken didn’t necessarily always have this attitude of “Digimon aren’t living beings, so I get to do whatever I want with them” back during his original adventures with Wormmon in the Digital World. One could argue that maybe he “knew” that Digimon were alive back then and the Dark Seed just made him forget through trauma, but even Taichi hardly treated the Digimon badly back when he thought that everything was a “game” back in Adventure (rather, he was reckless with himself more than anything). Later in this very series, there’ll end up being a massive debate on what exactly constitutes a Digimon having a “soul”. No, the real issue is actually...

What tips Ken over the edge into discarding the Kaiser persona is empathy -- when he retroactively reflects on the implications of the Digimon being “alive” meaning that every single action he’d done had an impact on causing “pain” or “torture” on others. That’s why it didn’t matter so much to him back then, because he was willing to treat Wormmon with the respect of a living being, regardless of what he was made out of (and, really, humans are more likely to be kind to things than otherwise, even when they’re supposedly “artificial”; for an extreme example, see how people are inclined to treat their robotic vacuum cleaners like family members, or have a hard time picking rude choices in video games, and those are all things you have much less of an argument for there being any actual pain inflicted).

And, hence, the main reason why the kids rail so much on the Kaiser for suggesting the heresy of “resetting the Digital World”: because he’s treating something with the gravity of “reality” like it’s something he can just toy with for his own convenience. Who cares what it’s made up of? There are actual civilizations building a livelihood here and “living beings” that can feel pain or show emotion. Nobody ever gave the kids immediate knowledge that Digimon have souls or any higher answer like that -- it’s just that the Kaiser is a callous, unempathetic jerk who’s willing to toy with so many lives and living individuals for his own pleasure. And, most importantly, everything the Kaiser has done here is something he can’t take back, and has to accept the consequences of; this wasn’t a place where he could vent out his feelings of being unable to “take back” Osamu’s death and treat everything lightly.

It doesn’t actually matter what it’s made up of -- the fact is that they act like living beings, show obvious personal feelings and a propensity to feel pain, and thus have the right to be treated as such. If you’re practically able to observe this, then you should be respecting that.

Once Archnemon takes over the position as most prominent antagonist, the kids start dealing with her Dark Tower Digimon that she uses to indiscriminately destroy things. This initially creates a lot of confusion for the kids, especially when Ken and Stingmon so easily kill Thunderballmon and it looks to them like he’s gone right back into sadism after supposedly being reformed -- thus, this would provide an issue with Ken’s apparent lack of empathy if he’s allowed to keep going, because he (seemingly) hasn’t learned his lesson and will go on to keep hurting more victims.

When Golemon goes to destroy the dam, it’s repeatedly commented on how unusual it is for a Digimon to just go and destroy a dam for no reason except to ruin people’s lives -- even the enemies back in Adventure at least had a power-hungry motive, and the non-verbal “wild” ones back in File Island were ultimately territorial at worst, and certainly not interested in wanton destruction without reason. On top of that, in fact, only two people -- Iori and Miyako -- in this group of five are actually that vehemently in favor of trying to spare Golemon for the sheer reason of it being a living being -- Daisuke starts to consider the fact that it may become necessary to save potential victims before Ken is even brought into the picture, Takeru points out how close they are to push-coming-to-shove, and Hikari clearly laments the fact it may become possible but doesn’t take nearly of the strong “we absolutely cannot do this” stance that Iori and Miyako have. And, after all, Takeru and Hikari were there back in Adventure when killing some very sentient Digimon became necessary, and learned that it may be something you have to do if you want to prevent more victims, and Daisuke had personally been a victim of Vamdemon back in 1999 and also happens to be one of the most pragmatic in this group.

Thus, the reveal that Golemon is actually a Dark Tower Digimon confirms two things for them: firstly, that it’s very unlikely that Golemon is powered by anything but a sheer instinct of wanton destruction, and secondly, that Ken does, indeed, have a concept of empathy. The kids had already noticed that something was “unusual” about Golemon in that it seemed to be incapable of independent action, just an order to “mindlessly destroy”, and it being what the series refers to as “a Dark Tower in the shape of a Digimon” just happens to confirm that it may not actually be that capable of independent action or emotion -- which they then realize that Ken also realized, and thus that he wasn’t killing Digimon out of callousness. This is, also, effectively, the same reason they’d been okay with killing Chimeramon earlier -- because there was absolutely no evidence that it had been capable of sentient reason or anything besides “destruction on instinct”.

So, again: their judgment on the situation is based on a practical observation about whether the entity in question was capable of having emotions or independent thought, and, again, a question of empathy...

...because we learn that the same process, when applied to enough Dark Towers, is enough to create a Digimon who is capable of that kind of independent thought and doesn’t feel up to taking orders, regardless of whether Archnemon is his “creator” or not. So we’ve got a demonstration of a Digimon who’s clearly capable of independent thought in ways the other Dark Tower Digimon are not (he even voices “envy” for the other single-tower Digimon Archnemon creates for being unable to think about anything), and starts exhibiting irrational behavior and the concept of “emotions”.

Recall the issue of the Chinese room problem: if we’re talking about a room of phrasebooks that simply take one input and export output, you, in the middle of the room, can’t really be said to be “understanding” Chinese. But the more complex the inputs and expected outputs get, the more complicated and intricate and explanatory those phrasebooks are going to need to be, and at some point, given a complicated enough question you get, if you’re capable of answering that in the same way a human might be expected to, that information in the phrasebooks will have to be explanatory enough to an extent you’ll be said to understand Chinese. Exactly “how complicated” or “how nuanced” does a program get before we tip that boundary? Clearly there is some difference between BlackWarGreymon and the other Dark Tower Digimon, but what is it?

And when 02 episode 32 comes around and Agumon decides to have a little bonding chat with BlackWarGreymon, even he can't answer the question definitively as to what a "soul" or “heart” is -- nobody in this narrative can, and this series has no answer. There’s no real clear-cut rule as to the boundary as to when one can be considered sentient. But while Agumon may not be able to immediately yank out deep philosophy, he at least has a deep level of insight and understanding as to what it means -- you have feelings for others, you have emotions, you have things you want that aren’t necessarily what others expect you to do, and you can bring your own perspective to the table.

The debate over what to do with this also leads to the rift between Takeru and Iori that they have to work towards mending during their Jogress arc -- Takeru’s trauma regarding Patamon in Adventure has spiraled him all the way over into prejudice against anything related to the darkness, and Iori, who understands there’s more to the situation than that, but also happens to be on the other extreme of considering it immoral to kill anything regardless of whether it’s about to murder a ton of other victims while it’s at it.

Ultimately, Adventure and 02 is a narrative that prioritizes “pragmatism” first, and the moment it’s made clear BlackWarGreymon isn’t going to cause problems anymore, the kids all decide it’s fine to let him be. In the end, whether BlackWarGreymon is “alive” is a philosophical question, but...

...whether they should hold back in fighting just to “spare lives” really has no bearing on that question. Enemies like LadyDevimon and the other Digimon the kids are ultimately forced to end up fighting are clearly alive with their own emotions -- it’s just that those emotions do happen to be uncontrolled sadism and an active desire for wanton destruction. Miyako herself even observes that LadyDevimon is a “coward” -- but she’s also still emotionally torn by the fact they end up killing her, and the story also doesn’t give her grief for this, because there’s no sin for her to have empathy. She recognized what it meant to kill a life, but they also cannot be blamed for taking that life in the process of saving multiple others. The issue of “whether it’s alive or not” had always been a separate question from the morality of fighting said lives -- and, either way, it’s still valuable that characters like Hikari, Miyako, and the other Chosen Children aren’t necessarily doing this because they like doing it, because it’s still important to keep that feeling of “empathy” in their hearts, even if push did ultimately come to shove.

So when BlackWarGreymon does return, again, nobody has an answer for him on whether he has a soul or not, but in 02 episode 47, Agumon, V-mon, and Wormmon encourage him to embrace the concept of life by “experiences” -- happiness, sadness, pain, playing and enjoying life with those you care about. Because those experiences are “real”, and Agumon himself says that “those experiences have made me who I am”; regardless of the higher philosophical question of whether he has a soul or not, he’s still someone who’s capable of having experiences and acting based on his memory of them, and that’s what’s really important. And hence, when BlackWarGreymon sacrifices himself one episode later, it’s because he understands the meaning of “doing something for others”, and is also implicitly mourned by the other Digimon, who had never failed to see him as “someone they could have befriended”, regardless of what he had originally been made up of.

It’s also why the kids are so traumatized by Archnemon and Mummymon’s deaths in 02 episode 48 -- they had no reason to be personally attached to them prior to that, and Archnemon had even said that her personal goals were nothing but wanton destruction in 02 episode 29 (which had been the first time Iori had really considered that pacifism may not be completely possible here). All of the wacky hijinks between the two of them had largely been outside of their view. But even back in 02 episodes 36-37, the kids had understood that there was some degree that they were harmless if left alone, and in the end, they watched Archnemon die in unambiguous pain and Mummymon die in the name of true love, by dying in a suicide attack because of his despair over losing her.

Archnemon and Mummymon had ultimately turned out to be “artificial lives” on their own, created at the hands of Oikawa to be his minions, and also somewhat guided by “wanton destruction” and not entirely fully aware of what they wanted to do independent of him -- BlackWarGreymon’s existential crisis had caused them to question their place in the world in 02 episode 47...and quickly shrug it off again. Could you say anything about whether they were alive or not, or whether they had souls? Perhaps it doesn’t really matter -- whether or not they were able to fully have deep thought the same way BlackWarGreymon and the other Digimon had, they at the very least were able to feel attachment and pain, and that alone deserved to be respected.

In the end, you could say that’s 02′s answer -- or non-answer -- to the Chinese room problem. You may not be able to answer the intrinsic philosophical question of whether it’s got a “soul” or is “alive” or not, but if it’s clearly demonstrating an observable and practical phenomenon of showing emotions, acting on some degree of independent will, taking in experiences and acting on them, and being able to feel a sense of pain, then you should still treat it with the appropriate amount of empathy -- regardless of what it’s made out of.

Incidentally, we do actually get a very small revisiting of this topic in Kizuna, when Menoa creates a ton of Eosmon by “scientific” methods -- and, much like the Dark Tower Digimon, they’re not recognized as living beings by anyone in this narrative, because their behavior is clearly that of mindlessly following Menoa’s orders; Yamato won’t consider it a Digimon, and Menoa herself even acknowledges that this is in no way a real “partner” like her true one, Morphomon. What does get Menoa to recognize Morphomon within Eosmon is when it does one thing -- smile -- that’s clearly outside that view, and an obvious show of independent emotion, leading Menoa to realize that her true, living partner may be closer than she’d thought.

#digimon #digimon adventure 02 #kizuna spoilers #shihameta

[alicenpai]

waow diary entry about manga! finishing pandora hearts + starting witch hat atelier

In all honesty i haven’t been feeling like playing games lately, so I’ve picked up manga again. I finished reading pandora hearts recently! and i picked up witch hat atelier! if you want to read my thots they r below (no spoilers.. as best as I can)

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Before we start I just want people to know that I am a very very slow reader and it takes a LOT of mental energy for me to finish something HAHAHAHAHAHA so don’t come after me if a series takes me over 5 years it’s just in hibernation

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I FINALLY finished reading Pandora Hearts!!! in what, how many years? I picked it up in 2009....... (I lied to everyone on social media, I never finished this series back in high school. it was a long time so I had to reread it). The conclusion was oh so satisfying and wrapped up in such a way that there weren’t (m)any loose ends. I feel like anything I say will make PH sound underwhelming haha. Words cannot express what a masterpiece the series is!!! There’s so much more that I could say but I think I gotta let the events marinate in my mind now. My chicken brain probably forgot some of the events already.

I always describe this series as “a series with a shoujo look, but with content that’s more shounen in nature” 

I definitely will say as a disclaimer however, the backtracking and convoluted nature of the series... is obviously not for everyone. I’ve never seen anyone mention a viewpoint like this but I do stand by it. Like, I will always push stuff like FMA, but PH is not a series that’s easily picked up in my opinion hahaha. Sometimes it was a struggle for even me because the events are so dense and I didn’t feel like reading something so heavy sometimes. That’s really the only thing I can say to newcomers who are interested in the series 🙈 but if a series with lots of subtle foreshadowing and re-reading interests you, go for it. I ALWAYS, ALWAYS have a PH agenda haha - but I understand that it’s not an easy read.

Mochijun has improved so much as an artist as well. JUST LOOK AT THIS 

yeah let’s throw in one of her progresses too. I look at the “There is” artbook on my shelf like at least 1-2x weekly haha Her art has influenced my art a lot since I was 14. Personally, I think my art has always been like a box of mixed chocolates (as in, it’s like a surprise), but as I’ve been drawing more anime styled things in the last few months I feel happier, and I feel more motivated to pursue my artistic goals. I put a lot of PH into the OCs I draw 🥺👍 (So maybe if you like PH you might like my OCs) but yeah that’s all I have to say about PH for the moment, I definitely want to draw some art when (if?????????) I have time hehe

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Started reading Witch Hat Atelier recently too and wow. it’s paced really, REALLY well. The mysteries are starting to unfold and I feel like the series will hurt me in the best way possible ^_^)b I have 20 chapters to go before I catch up. The magic system is one of the most creative I’ve seen, it starts off simple, but as the story progresses, you learn more about magic along with the girls, and I think the self-discovery themes are what makes for a very satisfying read. It inspires me a lot to work on my own comic. The art is also beautiful to boot.

If WHA continues in this way, I think it’ll become one of my top favourite series. and I’m really happy that I can experience it in my lifetime on this mortal coil.

also who let Qifrey be so pretty I know he’s gonna become my (problematic) favourite. I love twin characters too so I kind of squealed when Etoran and Echo/Ekoh were introduced ALSO i think . seeing the Witch Hat children being described as "skinny white kids" online is the fucking funniest things I've seen about the series so far

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Some things I noticed over the lockdown is that I prefer stories with an immersive and interesting fantasy/sci-fi world, charming characters, great character development, a story I can take lessons out of - and THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL, the story can’t be 100% serious - it needs some comedy or lighthearted scenes. I find it so hard to get into a series if it’s meant to be taken 100% seriously 💀 I would give examples but I don’t want people to grill me LMAOOOOOOO

I’m also trying to avoid “brainrot” as much as I can... I understand that a hyperfixation can give you inspiration and energy and serotonin. And I feel like sometimes NOT having “brainrot” = unfun. BUT MAYBE I’M JUST OLD 🧓👴👵 BUT I THINK I’M STILL HAVING A BLAST WITH THE STUFF I’M READING?!

I’ve seen how I acted in jojo, promare, and hxh, I’m not proud of it HAHAHA Not that I did anything problematic, and although there are a lot of good memories, don’t get me wrong! but I think some of my posts were very... uhh... make me want to shrivel up in a ball underground and never come out of hibernation. So I want to simmer down and be more rational in how I approach my interests from now on... I literally just want to work on my OCs and read my books in peace and live a simple life 😭

#text post #a sort of....... diary entry #anyways i love reading my friends' blog posts #so maybe someone will like reading mine IDK #I FEEL KIND OF SAD I DONT RLY KNOW IF ANYONE WANTS TO HEAR ABOUT MY INTERESTS AND STUFF #I'LL PROB DELETE LATER #pandora hearts #witch hat atelier #fullmetal alchemist #for the honorable mention

[i-know-my-value-darling]

Supernatural stars reflect on the show's undying legacy

Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, and Misha Collins discuss 15 years of fantasy, family, and flannel. 

"We only get one shot at this." Sam and Dean Winchester are surrounded. The monster-hunting brothers are standing on the edge of a cliff. They look to Castiel, their brother in arms — or is it wings? — but even he can’t help. One move in the wrong direction could ruin everything. After years of fighting demons, going toe-to- toe with Satan himself, and saving the world multiple times, they once again find themselves in a position of having to perform under pressure. But this situation is unlike anything they’ve ever dealt with before. All eyes are on them as they have one shot…at getting the perfect picture.

It’s a dry, hot August day in Malibu — when people were still allowed to gather outside — as Supernatural stars Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki, and Misha Collins prepare for the last setup of their final Entertainment Weekly cover shoot. With a bottle of champagne in each of their hands, Ackles once again reminds them they get “one shot” to do this right. But if their characters can shoulder the weight of the world, surely these three can handle a photo. Read the whole story below

The champagne soaking is meant to be a celebration of 15 years, of making television history. Supernatural, the story of two brothers destined to save the world, is the longest-running genre show in the history of American broadcast television. (So old, the first three seasons shot on this thing called film.) What started as an underdog story, living its first few years on the verge of cancellation, has become an institution, a milestone to which other shows aspire. Supernatural not only survived the move from The WB to The CW after its first season — it’s now the final WB show left standing — but became the backbone of the now highly successful CW network. Over the years, the sci-fi series has aired on every weeknight, helping to launch shows including Arrow and The Vampire Diaries. The network moved it one final time, most recently, to Mondays, to help Roswell, New Mexico expand its audience. “Supernatural is a major link to many of the shows that we have successfully built to market,” The CW’s chairman and CEO Mark Pedowitz says. “Almost every one of our shows has had it as a lead-out or a lead-in.”

And to think, it all started as a promise to bring horror to television. After Supernatural creator Eric Kripke had finished working with Warner Bros. on 2003’s Tarzan series, he pitched the idea of a reporter who travels around hunting urban legends. As he puts it, it was a Kolchak: The Night Stalker rip-off. But when he realized the story would benefit from having brothers at its core, he started writing. “At the time, The Ring and The Grudge were huge hits in theaters,” Kripke remembers. “We said, ‘We’re going to take that experience and we’re going to put it on TV,’ and the initial goal was to be scary.” After Warner Bros. passed on his first, what he calls “uptight,” draft, Kripke had to reassess the kind of show he was creating. “I canceled all my Christmas plans and wrote that second draft in three weeks,” he says. “That was when the show got its sense of humor, because I was locked alone, over winter break, in my office. I couldn’t do anything fun, so I started entertaining myself.”

The show was still scary, but it was also funny and, over the years, would continue to evolve. Sure, you could say it’s a little bit X-Files — in its early days, the show often used the line “The X-Files meets Route 66” — and there were definite Star Wars influences (Sam and Dean were originally based on Luke Skywalker and Han Solo). But no combination of pop culture is going to perfectly describe Supernatural because the show has managed to do something remarkably rare in the age of peak TV, where audiences are so overwhelmed with content that an original idea seems foreign: It’s created a truly one-of- a-kind experience.

For starters, it’s a show about two flannel-wearing, beer-loving, blue-collar dudes from Kansas who for a good chunk of their lives traveled from cheap motel to cheap motel, paying for gas and greasy diner food with a mix of fake credit cards and money they earned scamming people at the pool table. “Almost all television is about rich people or, at the very least, middle-class people,” co-showrunner Andrew Dabb says. “The fact that we’ve been able to take this Midwestern blue-collar approach to this genre feels like we’re breaking the mold.”

But the mold-breaking didn’t stop there. Supernatural might’ve started out as a horror show with some snarky one-liners, but it evolved into some of the boldest, most experimental (and certainly strangest) stories on the small screen. “We’re a show of big swings,” co-showrunner Robert Singer says. “I used to say, with every idea, ‘This will be a home run or they’ll cancel us,’ but every year we wanted to do something really nuts." And when he says nuts, we’re not just talking about the episode with the talking teddy bear or the murderer targeting imaginary friends. Those are just some standard monsters of the week. We’re talking about the black-and-white episode shot like a classic Hollywood monster movie, or the episode that introduced Chuck (Rob Benedict), a prophet — who’d later reveal himself to be God — who was famous for writing a book series called Supernatural. That, of course, led to Sam and Dean attending a Supernatural fan convention as the show continued to redefine what it meant to inject a series with meta humor. And the swings never stopped. Season 13 featured a Scooby-Doo crossover as an animated Sam, Dean, and Castiel solved a case alongside the Mystery Inc. gang. And in season 14, after giving God a sister a few years prior, the show made the Big Man Himself its final villain. “I don’t think any idea, barring some production concerns, has been viewed as too crazy,” Dabb says. “Because we know that our fans are smart and that they’ll follow these guys anywhere.”

So long as each episode features Sam and Dean — and the occasional heartfelt talk on the hood of the Impala — the show can do just about anything, which is another reason Kripke had to rewrite his first draft of the pilot. Originally, Dean was the only brother who knew about monsters growing up, bringing Sam up to speed later in life. It wasn’t until Kripke figured out that they needed to be in this together that the series snapped into place. Because at the end of it all, they’re two brothers bonded by the loss of their mother and a life spent on the road with an absentee father. (It just so happens that their mother was killed by a demon and their father hunted them.) The familial dynamic — the irrational codependency, as the angel Zachariah (Kurt Fuller) once called it — is the most important part of the show. “The first inkling I had that we had something special was shooting the pilot,” Kripke says. “It was the scene on the bridge when Sam and Dean talk about their mother. It was the first time that you really saw their chemistry and their connection as brothers on full display. Because I’ve always said this show begins and ends with whether you believe that sibling relationship.” But Sam and Dean weren’t just the center of the show. For many years, they were the show.

Supernatural has never been an ensemble drama. For the first 82 hours of the series, Ackles and Padalecki were the only long-running series regulars — Katie Cassidy and Lauren Cohan briefly joined for season 3, appearing in 12 episodes combined. But Sam and Dean weren’t just in every episode; they anchored every episode. (They skipped table reads because there would’ve been only two actors there.) “I had many moments of not only questioning, ‘Can I keep this up?’ but an answer of ‘I cannot keep this up,’ ” Padalecki, 37, who’s been vocal about his struggle in the early seasons, says. “I borrowed strength from Jensen.” But even Ackles, 42, admits it was a tough job. “The 23-episode seasons were nine and a half months of filming,” he adds. “It was a lot of work, but I always came back to: I still enjoy it, I still like telling the story, I still like these characters and the people I work with.”

Not only did the guys stick around, they built a reputation of having created one of the warmest sets in the business, with a number of crew members staying with the production all 15 seasons. It all dates back to a talk Kripke had with his stars during the filming of the series’ second episode. “I said, ‘The show is about your two characters, and with that comes this responsibility,’ ” Kripke says. Padalecki remembers the exact setting of what he calls their “Good Will Hunting moment,” a bench in Stanley Park in Vancouver, where they film. It was a chat both actors took to heart. “We’d both been on other sets,” Ackles says. “We knew we wanted to enjoy it, to have fun with our crew; we wanted them to like us and us to like them and to have fun doing what we do.” It’s an attitude Pedowitz hopes bleeds into other CW shows, an attitude that launched an annual tradition where the CW chairman/CEO takes his new casts out to dinner with the Supernatural guys, a chance for the vets to share advice. “It’s always the most flattering situation,” Padalecki says, recalling a moment he had a few years back with the late Luke Perry, who was a part of the Riverdale cast. “Luke was sitting next to me and he was like, ‘What y’all have done and what we hear about you guys, it’s really cool to be associated with y’all in some way, shape, or form,’” he recalls. “And I’m sitting there pinching myself.”

It’s a behind-the-scenes legacy that’s perhaps just as impressive, if not more so, than the onscreen legacy. Collins, 45, who started as a guest star and the show’s first angel in season 4, has become the show’s third-longest-running series regular, and he still remembers walking onto set his first day. “When you’re coming onto a show as a guest star, it can be a little bit nerve-racking,” Collins says. “Coming to this set, it was an immediately different vibe. Think- ing about working on other shows in the future, that’s something that I aspire to bring with me.”

A similar reputation extends to the fans as well. Not only is the #SPNFamily one of the most dedicated fandoms out there, it’s also known to be a pretty nice one. (Not many fandoms can say they’ve helped launch a crisis support network for their fellow fans.) But their dedication isn’t just about seeing what crazy twist God throws at Team Free Will next. Thanks to fan conventions and social media, the viewers are just as invested in the lives of the actors. Supernatural’s not just about the words on the page, it’s about the actors saying them. “When you’re dealing with the public taste, there’s an alchemy of great writing, a great idea, and the close-up that’s required,” Peter Roth, chairman of Warner Bros. Television Group, says. “You need stars who you want in your living room.” And you need stars who want to be in your living room, and who, even after 15 years, care so deeply that they get emotional while taking photos in Malibu.

"It's going to be a long eight months," Ackles declares. Standing on that same ledge, an hour before the champagne shot, Ackles, Padalecki, and Collins walk away from a group hug after unexpectedly starting to tear up. It might be the setting — looking out over the ocean — or the occasion: their last-ever photo shoot. Or maybe it’s the fact that they’re almost a month into filming their final season.

It had been a question posed to the stars for years: How long will this show continue? How long can it continue? “Even my mom and dad were like, ‘When are you going to be done with this?’” Ackles says with a laugh. It was a decision the network and studio had ultimately put into the actors’ hands, and it was a conversation they’d been having for a while. Back in 2016, Padalecki told EW, “If we don’t make it to [episode] 300, I think Ackles and I will both be truly bummed.” But in season 14, they hit 300…and then kept going. While filming episode 307, they announced the upcoming 15th season would be the end, which will bring them to a total of 327 episodes when all is said and done. “[Jared] and I were always married to the fact that we never wanted to go out with a diet version of what we had,” Ackles says. “We wanted to have enough gas left in the tank to get us racing across the finish line. We didn’t want to limp across.” Padalecki remembers the moment it hit him — not the decision to end it, but rather the opposite. “We had that moment where he and I both realized that we didn’t want it to end,” he says. “It finally got to a point, ironically, where it was like, ‘I never want to leave this. I could do this until the day I die, and then if I get the choice when I’m dead, I’ll re-up!’ But you never want to be the last person at a party. We just knew. That’s not to say there haven’t been vacillations, but we all trust the decision that was made.”

Starting in July 2019, the cast and crew returned to Vancouver to begin filming the final season, but in March 2020, with two episodes left to go, they were sent home. For years, fans had wondered what, if anything, could stop the Winchesters, and now it seems we have the answer: a global pandemic. As sets closed amid social-distancing measures due to the spread of COVID-19, it didn’t take long for fans to start connecting the dots, sharing relevant GIFs from episodes that featured viruses, most notably Chuck telling Dean to hoard toilet paper “like it’s made of gold” before the end of the world in season 5’s “The End.” (Did we mention that Supernatural is also kind of psychic? In a season 6 episode, Dean calls Sam “Walker, Texas Ranger,” which just so happens to be the role Padalecki has lined up after this ends.)

When production paused, it all felt a little like we were living in an episode of the show, just waiting for Sam and Dean to drive up in Baby, open those creaky doors, and save us. They might not be able to do quite that, but the thing with the Winchesters is that they never stay down for long. When Supernatural is able to safely resume production, it will. And though there are only two episodes left to film, fans will enjoy a total of seven unseen hours, including the return of Charlie (Felicia Day) and a mystery woman who visits the bunker and, for some reason, gives Sam and Dean all the holidays they never got to celebrate. “She makes Christmas for them and Thanksgiving, birthday parties, and all that. It’s a very good episode,” Singer says, adding, “I don’t know when it’s going to air.”

That’s the thing—no one knows, not even the guys who took out Yellow Eyes, stopped Leviathans, defeated Death himself, and are supposedly destined to be the messengers of God’s destruction. But Sam and Dean do know the value of a good plan B. “Obviously it’s a horribly unfortunate situation we’re in, but the silver lining is that it gives us an opportunity to recharge,” Ackles says. “We had just finished episode 18, we shot one day of episode 19, and I was reading these two monster scripts thinking, ‘It’s like we’re at the end of a marathon and they want us to sprint for the last two miles.’ I feel like this almost gives us an opportunity to refocus and go into the last two episodes and hit them with everything we got.” Because when they do return to set, shave their quarantine beards, and step back into Sam and Dean’s shoes for the last time, they’ll have one shot at ending this thing…and they’re determined not to miss. 

Photos: Peggy Sirota for EW 

https://ew.com/tv/supernatural-stars-cover-ew-to-reflect-on-the-shows-undying-legacy/

#supernatural #jensen ackles #jared padalecki #misha collins #last season #season 15 #entertainment weekly #cover story #dean winchester #sam winchester #castiel #full post #SPN #spn family #new photo #new photos

[elliepassmore]

These Violent Delights Review

5/5 stars Recommended for people who like: retellings, historical fantasy, urban fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, crime, Romeo and Juliette, Six of Crows, multiple POVs I requested this on NetGalley over the summer, didn't get it, then forgot about it until I was at the bookstore the other week. Suffice to say I'm glad I remembered. I'm a fan of YA fantasy of all types, especially, as I've mentioned, retellings. I'll admit I'm one of those people who doesn't actually like Shakespeare, let alone Romeo and Juliette, but the concept was intriguing enough that I kind of brushed that off and went in anyway; so for those of you who also don't like Shakespeare, there's a good chance you'll still enjoy this. It probably helps that I've liked retellings of some of Jane Austen's books when I don't like the originals, so I was kind of primed to ignore the source material. The backdrop for the book is 1926 Shanghai, largely within the Chinese- and French-held sections of the city. Gong did a good job describing the beauty and crowds and grime of the city, and I really liked the juxtaposition of the glittery with the dilapidated, the classic with the new. I enjoyed figuring out the city as the characters moved through it. The setting gives the book a good mix of historical and urban fantasy (sci-fi? I can't tell which to label it as), since technically it is set in a historical period, but also in the middle of a bustling metropolis, which tends not to be present in a lot of historical fantasy books. The scenery and the time period are good backdrops and Gong definitely makes sure to drop some still-relevant wisdom into the book as the characters navigate the imperialism of the West and the changing politics and society of Shanghai. Juliette is a treasure, she's definitely my favorite character in the book. The heir of the Scarlets, she is glittering and unafraid and (mostly) unrepentant. She's carefully crafted her ruthless, cold-hearted persona, and while she is ruthless, she does very much care about her people and her city. Juliette clearly cares about her family and wants to do what's best for them, even if it means putting herself in danger, yet at the same time seems to want a better way of going about things than the one the blood feud has stuck them all in. She's a complex character, balancing orders and necessities, the blood feud and the new menace, and her own identity in a shifting world. Roma is, naturally, on the other side of the blood feud from Juliette and is opposite to her in many ways. For one, while he also has an image of being a ruthless heir, Roma is much much worse at keeping that facade up, mostly because he's farther from that image than Juliette is. Roma very much wishes that things in Shanghai were different, with a heavy emphasis on a desire for less bloodshed, but knows he's in a tricky situation re: power and needs to bide his time. I also really enjoyed Kathleen's character and am hoping we get more of her story in the sequel book. She's a character that embodies the idea of "looks like a cinnamon roll but could actually kill you." I'm not entirely sure what role she's in in the Scarlets, except perhaps a spy?, but she's in the inner circle of the gang and is one of the few peopel in Juliette's inner circle. On the White Flowers side, the main side characters are Benedikt Montagov and Marshall Seo, both of whom are in Roma's inner circle. Benedikt is the more serious of the two, but is painterly and enjoys sitting by the river. I don't think I got a great feel for Benedikt in this one, so it's hard to give a review of his character other than 'he seemed cool,' but I do imagine we'll be seeing him in the sequel and look forward to that. Marshall is the more wild one of the two, cracking jokes and seemingly making an effort to take things far less seriously, even the blood feud. He's certainly willing to go to bat for Roma and the White Flowers, but he's also more willing to let things slide without an explanation and, unlike Benedikt and even Roma at times, doesn't seem to mind working with Juliette and some of hers on occasion. I will say that there were some parts that were a bit obvious, though the book makes up for them in other ways, and there were more aspects of the plot that I didn't guess than ones I did. I'm also curious about a certain merchant father figure who shows up in the beginning and then never does again and is really hardly mentioned. I have questions. But, like with the predictable parts, the book by and large wraps things up neatly while leaving enough room for the sequel, which I cannot wait to get my hands on whenever it comes out. Overall, I enjoyed the book all around and recommend it for those into urban and/or fantasy/sci-fi and retellings, even if you don't like Shakespeare or R+J. I'm super curious to see what happens in the next one and hopefully get some more time with some of the characters. I have some hypotheses about certain things I think will happen/pop back up, so I'm eager to see if I'm right about that or if Gong surprises me.

#book #books #book review #these violent delights #chloe gong #romeo and juliet #retelling #shakespeare #shanghai #ya fantasy #historical fantasy #juliette cai #roma montagov #characters of color #chinese characters

[somemanyships]

Rupaul’s DragRace season 13 is almost here and I want to give my opinion on the queens based only on the promos and meet the queens. (Everything I am about to say is just my opinion and doesn’t have to be taken seriously. For no reason I want to discredit the work of any queen because all of them are fierce entertainers that have to be respected by all the public that watches the show). Normally my opinion of the queens based on the promos is not so far from what ends up happening in the show.(I want to apologize if my English is not that good, it is my second language and many times I don't know how to transmit my ideas very well).

I want to start with my top 4. Last season three of the four queens in my top ended up being the final three, only leaving Sakura out of the top. This season my top 4 are:

GottMik, Symone, Utica and Rosé.

I want to start with GottMik and Symone. From my top 4 (if I had to cut it to a top 2) they would be my front runners.

GottMik

GottMik's aesthetic in the promo stands out (which is something that almost all the winners have) she is very high couture mix with fantasy and sci-fi cinematography, his personality is interesting and somewhat enigmatic, his makeup is 100/10 the best in the promo and he is the first trans man to compete (it is important highlight the visibility of our trans brothers and sisters in the LGBT+ community).

Symone

Symone's aesthetic stands out a lot from the other participants (As Nina Bonina Brown said: Symone is serving us black girl high fashion couture). Her personality (in the promos) is one of the brightest among all personalities. With Symone it happens to me (and I don't know if it happens to you when you see someone) that I see her and it is one of those people that I immediately say: This person is a star, she was born to shine. And we also always have to remember the incredible visibility of poc in the LGBT+ community that queens like Symone bring.

Utica Queen

From Utica I also want to highlight her aesthetic (that outfit with the 3 hats gives me life). Her personality (based on the promos) is like a ray of sunshine that illuminates everyone's day. It is seen that she is an interesting and alternative queen with a very strong creative spirit. And always in all seasons these “kooky/weirdos” queens have a special place in my heart.

Rosé

I don't have much to say about Rosé, she gives me this vibe of a new york queen like Bianca Del Rio, Bob The Drag Queen and Aquaria (what I mean is that she gives me a vibe of a queen that is very talented in many areas) and her look is very blondie meets Barbie and the rockers, which is a concept that I am always here for.

Now I want to talk about the queens that are not in my top 4 for some reason but I am sure that they may surprise me and that I think they can do well in the competition, which are:

Tina Burner, Kandy Muse, Tamisha Iman, Lala Ri, Denali and Olivia Lux.

Tina Burner

Tina Burner looks like she's a talented queen, but something doesn't quite convince me. She reminds me a lot of Nina West but I don't feel that warmth and sweetness that Nina exudes. Her look is not one of my favorites (but hey, she said in the meet the queens that her taste is questionable, and I liked that). I think she's going to do very well in the snatch game and in the acting challenges, and also, she have a great personality. I hope to be surprised by Tina this season.

Kandy Muse

One of the hardest things about competing in DragRace is being part of a family that has already participated in the show. Aja (Kandy's mother) is one of the queens with a strong personality that has participated in the most recent seasons. Dahlia (kandy's sister), although she was the first eliminated, appeared in all episodes of the season. Kandy's look is very good, and although I think the judges are going to demand a lot of personality from her (comparing her to Aja) I'm sure that Kandy has personality to spare, I also think that it is very possible that she is part of the top 4 this season. The reason I didn't put her in my top is merely personal taste, normally queens who describe themselves as "loud" are not my personal liking (like Eureka or Silky). But I am sure that Kandy is going to be one of the strongest competitors this season.

Tamisha Iman

The main reason why I didn't put Tamisha in my top is her personality, and don't get me wrong, her promo attitude (a very serious and straightforward personality) I like a lot, I'm sure the narrative that the producers are going to give her it isn’t going to be very flattering. Her outfit looks like a typical pageant queen look (well executed but has nothing that stands out). And above all this, I'm sure the producers are going to put her in the bottom two with Lala Ri to give us this dramatic and heartbreaking mother vs daughter lipsync.

Lala Ri

Lala Ri (judging from the promo) looks like she has a very striking personality, which always helps a lot in the competition. Her promo look, which is a bodysuit (her signature outfit), isn't very strong. And we all know Michelle's opinion of the queens who wear too many bodysuits in the competition. As a second point, something that scares me is that Lala Ri said in meet the queens (I don't fully remember how she said it so I'm going to paraphrase): "I didn't get to this competition to leave because of hot glue" Putting that together with the fact that she said she doesn't know how to sew, gives me to understand that she is going to be eliminated in a design challenge. Another point is, like what is going to happen with Tamisha, is that the producers are going to putting her in the bottom two to give us the mother vs daughter lipsync.

Denali

Denali is one of the queens with one of the most striking and different outfit among all the competitors, which is very good. From everything that she said she seems very talented, and the fact that she is an ice skater is a skill that hardly any queen possesses. A personal point for me here (of why I support her) is her Mexican heritage (and as a queer Mexican person myself, I am proud to see a queen who can give that representation on the show). The main reason I didn't put her in my top 4 is: her personality. Her personality It doesn’t look as flashy as other queens and that always ends up eliminating talented queens who cannot steal the spotlight compared to other contestants (such as Jan in season 12 or Max in season 7).

Olivia Lux

In the case of Olivia I debated a lot if I should put her in this category or in the next category (queens that are going to be eliminated first). In the end I decided to put her in this category because (from what she said) she has a strong personality and I think that can help her a lot in the competition. Her outfit from the promo looks good (but she has nothing that makes her stand out like other queens). Her hairstyle is one of my favorites, the combination of afro with that color between mahogany and carrot, I really loved it. And that's it, I don't have much to say, I just hope Olivia surprises me this season.

And the last category in which I separate the queens is: contestants that I think are going to be eliminated first.

Kahmora Hall, Joey Jay and Elliott with 2TS.

Kahmora Hall

One of the things I always enjoy seeing on DragRace is: representation. I'm glad we have another Asian queen to join the DragRace family. The look Kahmora is using in the promo is very polished and the wig with crystals looks perfect (Did you stone that wig?). Having said that, I really don't think Kahmora will last long in the competition. Her drag daughter Soju (who was one of my favorite queens even before she entered the show) is incredible, but I think the mother is going to repeat the same situation as the daughter and be one of the first to leave. I think the main reason is that her personality can't get across the screen. When queens have trouble to transmit their personality across the screen they also tend to have the problem of not being able to transmit their personality to the judges and end up getting eliminated at first. But I hope that Kahmora manages to excel and advance in the competition. Sidebar: I am very upset that the face mask that Kahmora had planned to use had not ended up appearing in the promo because of the message it transmitted. My boyfriend is Asian and he has suffered a lot of harassment for the issue of the pandemic, where ignorant people accuse him of being the carrier of the virus. It was a very strong message that Kahmora had planned with the face mask and it should have been shown to the public.

Joey Jay

Something very strange happened to me with Joey, although she has an aesthetic that I really enjoy (very punk rock and edgy style) I feel that she does not stand out among all the queens. Her personality looks nice but also very difficult to decipher, something doesn't quite convince me with Joey. And I'm sure Michelle is going to criticize the fact that Joey doesn't normally wear wigs (even from the first episode as Michelle also criticized Crystal's makeup in season 12 or Dusty in season 10) and when Joey decides to change it she runs the risk of being eliminated in that episode (like Max in season 7 or Derrick in season 8). I don't know what it is yet, but something actually tells me that Joey is going to be one of the first eliminated contestants.

Elliott With 2TS

And finally we have Elliott. When I see Elliott’s promo I can only think of James Mansfield from season 9. His personality doesn't stand out much compared to the other queens. Elliott looks like she's nice but I don't feel like she commands attention like other participants. And the two negative points for me are: her name and her outfit. Her name just doesn't resonate in a nice way to say it (like Dax exclamation point from season 8) and her outfit, what do I say? Her outfit was the weakest of the entire promo. But I really hope Elliott can surprise me and advance in the competition.

That's it, just judging by the promo and the meet the queens this are my opinions of how the queens are going to do in the competition. But this is only the beginning, many things can change during the competition. And I want to emphasize again that this is ONLY my opinion, and should not be taken seriously in any way, all participants are talented and deserve to win just for the fact of being selected to participate. I am very excited for this new season of Rupaul's DragRace.

Gentlemen, start your engines, and may the best woman WIN!

#rupaul's drag race #rpdr #rpdr season 13 #meet the queens #promo looks #gottmik #Symone #utica queen #rosé #tina burner #kandy muse #tamisha iman #lala ri #denali #olivia lux #kahmora hall #joey jay #elliott with 2 ts